Chesterton senior defensive lineman Owen Edlen remembers when classmate Josh Davis was called up to start early in the 2022 season.

It almost seems like yesterday. Even playing Pop Warner together doesn’t seem all that long ago to Edlen.

But Davis, a 6-foot, 185-pound linebacker, has come a long way since those days.

“It’s really cool when you get to share your senior season with someone you’ve been playing with a long time,” Edlen said. “Josh’s growth these past few years has been very apparent. He’s always been a good player, but over the past few seasons, not only has his skill developed, but so has his leadership. He’s currently a team captain, and on game days, him and I lead the team out together for warmups.

“He’s the only varsity senior linebacker, and his confidence and experience is not only impactful to the linebackers, but also to the entire defense.”

Davis has been a mainstay for the Trojans for the better part of three seasons. During his career, he has played all three linebacker spots — strong side, weak side and middle — and has flourished in each.

As Chesterton (6-4) gets ready to play Duneland Athletic Conference rival Valparaiso (7-3) for a Class 5A sectional title on Friday night, Davis has 47 tackles, including six for loss and four sacks.

Junior running back Andrew Goveia also praised Davis, who had 52 tackles last year and 34 tackles in 2022.

“JD has always been a leader for our team,” Goveia said. “He played with me most of my life, and I have a major respect for him.”

Chesterton coach Mark Peterson said Davis’ intangibles make him particularly valuable to the team.

“He has a great work ethic, and he’s been just a great leader really for the last couple of years,” Peterson said. “He’s a really awesome kid and a really good football player too. He has a great sense and field awareness about him and a sensibility in terms of anticipation.

“He’s really a guy who gets us set and puts us in position on a play-by-play basis to be in the best defense. We’ve been really fortunate and really positive that we can count on him to do those things.”

Davis takes his contributions in stride.

“I’m just doing my part,” he said. “I just do my job, and it all comes together. Eleven guys on defense, 11 guys on offense, and everyone just carries their own weight until the puzzle is together. That’s how we’ve been having success.”

Football has been Davis’ No. 1 sport, and he has several college visits lined up in the coming weeks. He also played basketball in each of his first three years at Chesterton, although he doesn’t expect to play in the upcoming season. He took up baseball for the first time as a freshman as part of a “bet” with classmate Adam Kurek, the Trojans’ nose guard.

Davis and his family moved to Chesterton from South Carolina before he started first grade, and he and Kurek became fast friends. In fourth grade, Davis agreed to play baseball when they reached high school, and Kurek agreed to play football.“Now we’re playing together in both,” Davis said.

“I’ve been getting pretty good at it,” he added about baseball.

In football, Chesterton hasn’t won a sectional title and has lost 12 straight games to Valparaiso, which won 22-21 in overtime on Sept. 20. Chesterton’s last victory against Valparaiso came in a sectional opener in 2015.

Davis could be a key this time around.

“He’s the kind of teammate that loves to have fun in the locker room but knows once we’re on the field, everyone needs to be locked in,” Edlen said. “When things go wrong, he keeps his composure and makes sure our focus is on the next play. Josh is not only a good player, but has shown this season to be a good leader.”

The Trojans topped Michigan City 28-21 in OT last week after losing 20-0 in the teams’ DAC matchup in the regular season. Davis hopes Chesterton can similarly reverse the result against Valparaiso to make history.

“It would mean a lot, not only for us, but for all of the seniors in the past who couldn’t do it,” Davis said. “We have a special group right now, and we feel like we can get it done.”