Players to watch in the NWC
The NWC as a whole is a very slept on conference. There are many great programs who compete on a high level yearly. I’m extremely excited to start showcasing the amazing talent that’s up here in the northwest corner of…
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Continue ReadingThe NWC as a whole is a very slept on conference. There are many great programs who compete on a high level yearly. I’m extremely excited to start showcasing the amazing talent that’s up here in the northwest corner of WA state. Here are 5 players to keep an eye on during this football season.
Cory Olney
Cory Olney
Cory is fun to watch on the football field. He has fantastic vision out of the backfield and catches the ball VERY well. He can line up at RB or at WR offensively & is always someone the other team needs to pay attention too, as he was already a big part of the offense last year. Defensively as a DB, he tracks the ball very well and can cover ground fast. His great anticipation shows in the run game as well, always being able to know what the ball carriers next move is. He’s an overall athlete and that shows in the return game, as he is the teams kick and punt returner. Last year he complied over 100 combined yards as a kick and punt returner. He’ll continue to be a big part of this Pioneers offense.
Joey Brown
Joey Brown
Another Nooksack Valley player who is going to make a big impact this year. Starting QB Joey Brown has the size for the ideal QB standing at roughly 6’3”. His pocket presence is really solid, as it seems like he has eyes in the back of his helmet. He’s extremely athletic on the field, showing off his legs by scrambling outside the pocket and evading defenders for a long run. He lead the team in rushing last season, almost going for 400 yards himself. He has a strong arm. He’s working on finding his receivers in the sweet spot as last year he threw 14 INT’s but from the looks of week 1 and the rumbling around practice, he is looking very solid & is poised for a big junior year.
Tyler Sipma
Tyler Sipma
Tyler was an all NWC player last year on BOTH sides of the ball and that was for good reason. His speed is as good as it gets in NWC. He’s extremely hard to tackle when he has the ball, he’s very agile and shifty in the open field. Tyler’s hands are extremely reliable as well, as he rarely drops the ball when it comes his way. After compiling 26 catches for 349 yards and4 touchdowns, he added on 24 rushes for 228 yards and more 4 touchdowns running the ball. Defensively he’s a top CB in the conference, being able to lock up guys who are 3/4 inches taller than him. His speed and timing is what helps him achieve that. Last year he had over 30 tackles, so expect him to be involved quite a bit.
Habib is an absolute monster on the defensive line. It’s extremely hard for teams to run the ball right up the middle when playing against Sehome. Bello’s presence is felt immediately when the game starts and stays until the game is over. He disrupts the pass game just as good as good as the run game, using his strength to push through the offensive line to get to the QB. Week 1 against Mount Baker Habib was everywhere, recovering a fumble and compiling multiple tackles behind the line of scrimmage. Most importantly, the Mariners & Habib stopped the rushing attack of the Mountaineers. He’s going to continue to be a problem all season long for Sehome. Even though his name doesn’t show up in the stat sheet, opposing teams better do their research and game plan for this stud defensive lineman.
Lane Heeringa
Lane Heeringa
There’s so much I could say about Lane. He gets the job done on both sides of the ball and is as good as they get in the NWC and both his positions. Last year for the state champion Lions, he was a WORKHORSE. He carried the ball 218 times rushing for 1,080 yards and 8 touchdowns in the process, all while splitting carries which makes it more impressive. Herringa hits the holes very effectively and is almost unstoppable in the open field. Defensively, he had over 80 tackles last season, one of the top tacklers in the whole 2A class. The senior LOVES contact. Which is why he’s so effective on both sides of the ball. He’s always hungry to get hit and his toughness is next level as he plays almost every single snap in every game. He will get a lot of touches again this season as the Lions look to repeat their state championship.