Zwitt helped lay foundation for Trojans’ success

<p><strong>T</strong>he 1999 Center Grove football team finished 5-5 after losing its first-round sectional game by nearly three touchdowns.</p><p>Jonny Zwitt, a junior running back at the time, knows it was anything but a throwaway few months.</p><p>The disappointing started the run of success the program has enjoyed the past 21 years under coach Eric Moore. The Trojans have won 14 sectional championships, including their current streak of nine straight, and qualified for the state title game five times, the first of those coming during Zwitt’s senior season of 2000.</p>[sc:text-divider text-divider-title="Story continues below gallery" ]<p>“The year we were 5-5, I don’t think it spoke to the talent we had,” said Zwitt, 37, a married father of two daughters, Aubry (10) and Finley (7). “The second season, with all that offseason work under our belt, we were better. It was good to learn the Xs and Os, but really to get to know coach Moore and trust what he was preaching.”</p><p>Moore, previously the coach for 14 seasons at Charlotte High School in Florida, was bringing his successful wing-T offense from the Sunshine State. Trojan players, anxious to rise above mediocrity knowing the school’s lone sectional championship was 12 years earlier, eventually bought in.</p><p>“Coach Moore came in and we were all a little unsure at first,” Zwitt said. “Once we got to know him and just the winning tradition he had back to his Florida days, we accepted it.”</p><p>Statistically, Zwitt, a broad-shouldered 6-foot, 200-pound wingback, benefited greatly from the new offense. He finished his career with a number Center Grove standards that stand today such as career rushing yards (4,738), single-season rushing yardage (2,535) and total points (378). Zwitt rushed for 147 yards in his final game as a Trojan, a 21-0 loss to Penn in the Class 5A title contest.</p><p>Center Grove lost the game, but the impact was immediate.</p><p>Just like that, young boys in the school system grew up wanted the opportunity to one day become the Trojans’ featured running back. The line that followed has been impressive, a list that includes Jimmy Ladd, Luke Swift, Titus McCoy and Carson Steele.</p><p>Zwitt went on to play football at the University of Cincinnati. He redshirted his freshman season and was converted to linebacker. He remained in the area following graduation, marrying his college sweetheart, Danielle, a Cincinnati native.</p><p>Since 2008, Zwitt has been employed as chief branding officer for Muñoz Brandz, a branded apparel company owned by former Cincinnati Bengals All-Pro offensive lineman Anthony Muñoz.</p><p>Though still called Jonny by those who remember him breaking into the open field while playing at Center Grove, Zwitt goes by Jon these days. His father, Jon, has been the athletic director at the high school since the 1996-97 school year.</p><p>Any success the younger Zwitt attains in his life, he’s quick to credit his upbringing.</p><p>“My dad has been such a mentor in my life from work ethic to life lessons that I use to this day. I look up to him in so many ways. How to carry myself. Professionalism,” Zwitt said. “My mom (Kristen) has always been my emotional rock. She was just always there for me, whether it was to talk or helping prepare team meals.”</p><p>Zwitt would have preferred to have cap his prep football career with a state championship, but he takes solace knowing he and his teammates from the 1999 and 2000 seasons built the foundation for what’s now considered one of the state’s blueblood programs.</p><p>“Once Jonny established himself as a running back here, we became Running Back High,” Moore said. “Little kids looked up to him, and he was just a tremendous athlete. Jonny wanted to compete and really made the statement that if you’re going to be a great running back, you should be a great track kid, too.</p><p>“I’ve been here, what, 21 or 22 years, and he might still be the best running back we’ve had.”</p>