This time three years ago, Kevin Clancy was done with football.
He had just finished a two-year run as a starting quarterback at Division II Shepherd University, was finishing up his degree and was ready to move on to the next stage of his life.
But after taking the year off from the sport, he got a call from the Reading Express of the Indoor Football League in 2012.
They needed a quarterback, and Clancy joined the team shortly thereafter.
"I was content with not playing and didn't really miss it a ton," Clancy said. "But the Reading coach gave me a call and said they needed a quarterback, so I went up there and just fell back in love with the game."
Two years later, Clancy is still playing, now with the Baltimore Mariners of the American Indoor Football (AIF) league.
And nine years after leading Westminster to within one win of a state championship with his right arm, Clancy and that same right arm have the Mariners within two wins of an AIF championship. They play the Rochester Raiders Saturday in the league semifinals.
"We're rolling right now, so it feels great," Clancy said. "We have a shot at a championship ring, and that's all you can ask no matter what league you play in."
Outside of football, Clancy works at South Hagerstown High School.
He graduated from Shepherd with a degree in Physical Education and has pursued a job teaching physical education since graduating. Right now he's teaching a freshman technology class.
"I plan on going back to PE and health eventually," Clancy said. "But right now, it's a job."
Clancy is also an assistant football coach at South Hagerstown, working with the team's wide receivers.
Aside from all of that, Clancy's primary responsibility is the Mariners.
Clancy was the Times' Football Player of the Year as a senior in 2005. He threw for 3,335 yards and 38 touchdowns and led the Owls to the Class 3A title game, where they fell to Gwynn Park in double overtime.
He finished his high school career as the Carroll County and Monocacy Valley Athletic League record-holder in single-season and career touchdown passes and passing yards.
The Mariners run the ball more than Westminster did during Clancy's time there, but Clancy is still putting up numbers.
The Mariners don't keep statistics, but Clancy estimates he has thrown 16 touchdowns with just five interceptions in six games.
"He definitely leads us with his arm, and we base our offense around his throwing strengths," Mariners coach Ron Meehan said. "He excels in throwing the football. He has an arm. He's got a nice touch. He can throw it into tight windows, and he can also throw it over top if he has to."
Behind Clancy, the Mariners started the season 4-0 before falling to the Cape Fear Heroes, who are the top seed in the four-team playoffs. A conflict with the Baltimore Arena then forced the Mariners to forfeit a game and to then cancel their final regular-season game, but they still made the playoffs, which start Saturday.
The Mariners made the playoffs in 2010, but the team folded after the season under a previous owner. This is their first year back in action, and they are already back in the postseason.
Clancy is a big reason why.
"Quarterback is an important ingredient in the offense, and Kevin has really been a leader, both on and off the field and has got a really good comprehension of the offense," Meehan said. "Basically, he's our field general out there, so we're really pleased with his progress.
"And being an expansion arena team, being in the playoffs the first year tells you a lot about our character as a team and his as a leader."
As for the future, Clancy hopes to remain with the Mariners beyond this season.
"Baltimore's a great city to play in, so I'm hopefully staying with them for awhile," Clancy said.
He also looks forward to coaching football and continuing to teach at South Hagerstown.
But one of Clancy's primary focuses right now is winning that AIF championship.
Clancy fell just short of that state title in high school. He also fell just two games shy of a Division II national championship his senior year at Shepherd in 2010. He wants a title this time around.
If the Mariners can beat the 4-3 Raiders Saturday they will advance to face either Cape Fear or the Cleveland Patriots in the AIF title game.
"I haven't been in a championship game since high school," Clancy said, "so I'm excited about that."
