Unexpected Hero

Sophomore Quarterback Steps Up.

Unexpected+Hero

Nikki

The Quarry Bowl: the battle of the year, and the game that gets the students of Rocklin High more enthusiastic and spirited than ever. Down 17-12 in the 3rd quarter, the game left everyone in shock when senior Mike Nolan, Varsity’s starting quarterback, injured himself, forcing him to leave the field. The crowd was left wondering, what would happen now?

Soon after, the Varsity reserve quarterback, sophomore Cade Wyant, took his spot on the field. The game was too close for comfort, but in the sixth minute of the fourth quarter, Wyant threw the pass to win the game, putting Rocklin in the lead 18-17.

Wyant soon became an unexpected hero. When asked how he felt going into the game in place of Nolan, Wyant was quick to say that he was “surprised” and that he “wasn’t expecting it.”

“Mike is a really good athlete, so I was curious as to how I was going to do. But I was also excited,” he said.

As you can imagine, being a key player on the team and calling plays, while also being one of the youngest ones sounds quite intimidating, but for Cade, it was “no different than calling it on a team of the same age group.

“You have to be commanding either way,” Wyant said.

Rocklin High’s students weren’t the only ones surprised by Mike Nolan’s injury. Coach Greg Benzel stated that he was “very upset for [Mike].”

“He gives so much to his teammates. I knew he would be very disappointed.”

Now that Wyant has taken Nolan’s spot for the time being, it is in question who will be the new reserve quarterback. Benzel comments that the staff will “call it by committee.”

“There are multiple guys that can do the specific role that they’re good at, so there’s not really a traditional backup.”

For the time being, Mike Nolan will not be playing due to a broken collarbone. According to Benzel, and depending on how fast Nolan heals, he should be back in approximately five weeks.