Prep notebook: Edmonds-Woodway’s Heard will sit out this week to rest for postseason playoffs
Published 5:53 pm Monday, October 27, 2008
This past weekend was a restful one, Tony Heard said. And Heard, the reigning Gatorade Washington Football Player of the Year, said he will get more downtime this week.
Heard, a powerful senior running back/linebacker on the Edmonds-Woodway High School football team, said Monday he will sit out the Warriors’ Western Conference South Division game this week against Shorewood. E-W (4-1 Wesco South, 6-2 overall), which already clinched a playoff spot, ends its regular-season slate versus winless Shorewood (0-5, 0-8) 5 p.m. Friday at Edmonds District Stadium.
Heard rushed for 150 yards and three touchdowns Friday in a 48-20 division victory over Cascade. The effects of a concussion he suffered earlier this month against Mariner made Heard’s participation against Cascade a game-time decision.
“We had to win and I had to suck it up,” said Heard, who has 982 yards rushing and 11 TDs in six games this fall.
Heard said he feels much better after a rejuvenating weekend and skipping the Shorewood game will help him get ready for E-W’s first playoff contest against an opponent not yet determined.
It’s been an interesting season for E-W. After starting 12-0 in 2007 en route to the Class 4A state semifinals, this year the Warriors lost two of their first four games. But since then E-W is 4-0, outscoring foes 100-20.
“This has been a lot of adversity this year,” Heard said. “Me, I’ve been injury-prone all season and we don’t have the same team we had last season. But it’s good to see how our team came together through all that adversity. We’re now on the right page and the right road.”
Heard’s college path might change based on the upcoming coaching change at the University of Washington. Huskies football coach Tyrone Willingham announced Monday he will resign at the end of the season. This past spring Willingham offered Heard a scholarship.
Heard said his No. 1 choice was (and still is) the University of Oregon, but that Washington was No. 2 ahead of Stanford and Cal. Washington is the only school that’s made Heard an offer. Heard said he’s not sure how Willingham’s departure will affect UW recruiting plans. Willingham “played a huge role” in the E-W star’s interest in Washington, said Heard.
Reader poll: Best football stadium
Starting last week on HeraldNet.com readers responded to this question: Which local stadium is the best place for watching a football game? As of 3 p.m. Monday, Snohomish’s Veterans Memorial Stadium received the most votes (16), followed by Everett Memorial Stadium (12), Lake Stevens Stadium (11) and Monroe’s Bearcat Stadium (10). Readers were asked to consider factors like crowd size, public-address announcers, bands, cheer squads, concession stands, parking ease and general atmosphere. To participate in prep sports reader polls, go to cmg-northwest2.go-vip.net/heraldnet/doubleteam.
Murphy gets rematch
The Archbishop Murphy volleyball team’s league record has only one blemish: An Oct. 7 loss delivered by King’s in Shoreline. It was a rout. King’s won 25-16, 25-17, 25-15. Second-place Murphy (10-1 in Cascade Conference) gets another chance against first-place King’s (12-0) Wednesday. Earlier this month Murphy senior Rachel Shober said her squad will be ready: “We had a rough time against King’s. That was a little disappointing. But we’re coming back really positive.”
Free college recruiting info
Jack Renkins of Recruiting Realities will discuss college sports recruiting in two free presentations: 7 p.m. Nov. 3 at Cascade and 7 p.m. Nov. 4 at Jackson. For more information about Renkins go to www.RecruitingRealities.com.
Mike Cane, Herald Writer
