Keeping Kyle Healthy East Valley Football Team Has A Stake In Keeping Kyle Legrant From Hurting Himself Before Big, Upcoming Games

As long as his teammates protect Kyle LeGrant from himself, the East Valley High School football team has a valuable asset.

Already this year the third-year defensive back and first-time starting receiver has burned opponents for four touchdown catches. He also is a critical part of the Knight defensive package, which has limited Frontier League opponents to two touchdowns in as many games.

But it isn’t a football game that has other Knights worried about LeGrant’s well being. It is his off-field misfortune.

Last year, LeGrant listened from the sidelines, his eyes covered by patches, when the Knights rallied to beat rival WV following a snowstorm.

During an afternoon high school parking lot snowball fight LeGrant was hit in the face, scratching the corneas on both eyes.

“I didn’t think it was serious but went to the doctor and had to stay out of the game,” he said of his 24-hour ordeal in blinders.

The day prior to EV’s first football game this year, he was jumping around while watching volleyball and twisted a knee. Fortunately it was nothing serious.

“Now, every Thursday and Friday before a game, a couple of team members say to keep an eye on Kyle so he doesn’t do anything stupid,” LeGrant laughed.

They will be extra attentive prior to Friday night’s game at Cheney.

Both teams are unbeaten in this first of two important Fridays that EV coach Jim Clements calls hell.

“This is the first year that one game has meant so much,” said LeGrant. “It will probably be our toughest game of the year (so far).”

LeGrant’s mishaps notwithstanding, it was graduated star Keith Osso who kept him from starting offensively in football and out of center field in baseball.

“I followed him wherever he went,” said LeGrant.

Finally given the chance, the 5-foot-6, 160-pounder has responded.

“Osso had been starting since his sophomore year and was so doggone good we didn’t use Kyle to speak of,” said Clements. “He sure opened our eyes this year.”

LeGrant, said the coach is deceptively strong for his size. He plays tight end in EV’s double tight end set.

A hard runner and physical hitter has made him even more valuable defensively, his preferred position.

“Not too many teams run against us,” said LeGrant, “and that puts more pressure on the DBs. It’s up to us to hold up our end.”

Football is a natural sport for LeGrant, whose dad, Neil, coached him as a middle school quarterback and whose cousins, Pat, Jay and Casey Stookey, all played for the Knights.

His uncle, Ray Stookey, EV’s former coach and current vice principal, played on a national championship runnerup team at Eastern Washington University.

“I always loved it and watch on Sunday,” he said.

An appropriate comment since Clements said Cheney is so good the team should be playing on Sundays.

“I don’t know what the heck we’re going to do,” he deadpanned. “It’s not an enviable task, but we’ll show up.”

And West Valley is on the docket the following week.

“But I’d rather be sitting where we are than playing games with nothing at stake,” said Clements.

Expect LeGrant to be a factor, both offensively and defensively, at Cheney Friday night.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo