Freshman playing beyond his years
By BRYAN BURNS, Times Correspondent
Published September 28, 2007
At this time last season, Connor Powers was lining up for the Brandon Bears of the West Coast Youth Football Conference.
What a difference a year makes.
Powers, a freshman fullback at Newsome High School who turned 15 a month ago, is the leading rusher on a 3-1 team that's an early favorite for a district title. Through four games, Powers has gotten the bulk of the carries (56) from Newsome's wing-T formation and has 284 yards and one touchdown.
In a way, Newsome coach Kenneth Hiscock has turned over the keys to his offense to a kid who's not even old enough to drive home from practice without an adult in the car.
"At first - before we got the pads on and he was just in shorts and shirts - we were a little leery of having a freshman being a big part of our offense," Hiscock said. "But as soon as he got the pads on and we saw him hit the hole as quick as he does, we knew he was going to play a pivotal role in our offense."
That was news to Powers, who figured he would start out with the junior varsity like nearly every other freshman.
"I didn't think I was going to be up here," he said. "Coming up with all the big boys, I didn't know how it would be until we started hitting. But after that first day in pads, I knew if I just busted my butt, I could do it."
That first day in full gear was also an eye opener for Hiscock.
"The first day of pads we found out he wasn't scared of contact, that's for sure. He's an aggressive kid. He gets after it every play. He's got a great work ethic for as young as he is, and he's got a big future ahead of him."
At 5-foot-9 and 186 pounds, Powers is a straight-ahead runner who admits that he likes to dish out more punishment than he receives.
"I just like lowering my shoulder and going," he said.
The best news for Newsome? Powers won't graduate until 2011.
"You like those guys because you don't have that opportunity come around that often where a kid comes in and plays a big role as a freshman and you know you've got three more years with him," Hiscock said. "That's great for the program."
While Powers' future is bright, for now he's merely focused on getting better and helping the team win. Armwood snapped Newsome's regular-season winning streak - the longest in the county - last week at nine games. Powers and the rest of the Wolves would like to start a new one.
"It's pretty fun playing here," said Powers, who started at age 9 in the Pinecrest Youth Football League. "Just being up here's cool. JV, it could be fun down there, but up here it's a whole other level in intensity.
Hiscock hasn't shied away from putting the ball and his trust in a freshman.
"He does a great job; he's our lead rusher every week," Hiscock said. "He's something else. We're glad that he's here."