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When Mark Barone’s father, Darren, was in his sophomore year of high school, he got into a severe car accident, fracturing two vertebrae in his neck.

Darren was a quarterback in middle school and eventually switched to running back and linebacker at Rome Catholic High School. But after the car accident, his football career was cut short.

Years later, he has remained around the game. But instead of making plays on the field, he watches from the bleachers as his son stars for Rome Free Academy.

Mark is currently in his second season as the Knights’ starting quarterback, where he’s thrown for 415 passing yards and five passing touchdowns in two games thus far. Though Rome Free went 3-6 in 2024, Mark performed well in his first year as the Knights’ signal caller as a sophomore, completing 121 passes on 198 attempts.

He also racked up 1,211 yards and threw for 12 touchdowns. With many Rome Free seniors graduating last season, junior Mark is who everyone in the offense is looking to.

“His teammates have spoken so highly of him, that he has been voted captain of our team,” Rome Free head coach Jake DerCola said. “He is one guy that everyone looks to.”

Mark learned many valuable lessons in his first year as a varsity starter in 2024. He recalls one time where he received a hard hit from a linebacker that knocked him out of the game. The blow taught him how to respond to adversity.

“One thing (I learned from my first season) is getting down when you’re facing a big linebacker,” Mark said.

Rome Free Academy quarterback Mark Barone scrambles during a game for the Black Knights. As a sophomore, he threw for 1,211 yards in eight games. Courtesy of Darren Barone

This offseason, Mark worked on improving his speed, agility and strength to elevate his game. He also used his skills from playing baseball to slide when scrambling out of the pocket, ensuring he can protect himself against big hits in the future.

He also trained at ZPA Academy, a quarterback camp led by local Division III quarterback coach Braeden Zenelovic. In the camp for the past two years, Zenelovic helped Mark improve his throwing mechanics and fundamentals.

In the summer, Mark established connections with his receivers — Dwayne Tillman, Chad Smith and Michael Sauerhafer — through workouts, where they went over different offensive plays in 7-on-7 scrimmages.

DerCola has already noticed the growing connection between the four. DerCola emphasized that many of the points they’ve worked on in the scrimmages will become easier once they get further along in the season.

At Rome Free, DerCola has also helped Mark develop as a passer. He’s taught him how to read defenses, identify blitzes and call audibles, progressively building his quarterback’s confidence. He noticed a difference in preseason practices and the first two games, crediting Mark’s offseason and weight room work for the improvement.

“Last year as a sophomore, throwing him into the fire a little bit, he definitely had the body type to do it and could make most of those throws,” DerCola said. “But this year, you can see the ball snap off his hand a little bit faster. He can throw into the spot faster and even throw it farther.”

He’s also made significant strides off the field. Mark was voted a captain by his teammates before his junior season, and DerCola mentioned that Mark has “set the tone” early with his dedication and attention to detail. His teammates have taken notice, and they’ve tried to emulate Mark’s work ethic.

DerCola characterized his quarterback as “another coach.” Mark spent plenty of time learning the playbook so he could tell his young receivers and linemen where to be and what to do on any given play. He also continually gives feedback to his teammates at practice.

Darren added Mark is a “student of the game,” saying he religiously studies film from his old games and scrimmages from the summer. Through his film study, Mark has focused on making sure his footwork and throwing motion are correct.

So far, Mark’s work is paying off. Through Rome Free’s two games, he’s led the Knights to a 1-1 record. After throwing for 212 yards in a 44-14 loss to Proctor on Sept. 5, he responded with four passing touchdowns in an emphatic 47-6 win over Binghamton six days later.

As he looks toward his dream of playing college football, he hopes to continue improving his game however he can — whether it’s in the weight room, reviewing film or on the field.

“College sports is definitely a goal for me,” Mark said. “I just have to keep working.”

Published on September 15, 2025 at 10:33 pm
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