Focus of attention

For a small-town football player on a Class B-8 team at Sprague-Harrington, Josh Adams has certainly garnered his share of notoriety, on and off the field.

Adams has compiled enviable statistics in the wide-open, eight-man small-school version of football. Last week he extended his state record touchdown total to 88. His gridiron accomplishments stretch the length of your arm. Some say he has Division I potential.

But he also spent Tuesday in Lincoln County Superior Court at a preliminary hearing where he was charged as a juvenile for his alleged role in an incident involving drinking and vandalism last August at the Harrington Golf and Country Club. (Others were charged previously either as adults or juveniles.)

Adams pleaded innocent to two misdemeanor counts involving alcohol (minor in possession and supplying alcohol to a minor) and a second-class felony count of taking of a motor vehicle without owner’s permission (a golf cart). His trial date is Dec. 15.

The incident and the fact Adams continues to star for a team expected to make its third straight state playoff appearance, has polarized the community, said Randy Behrens, the Harrington superintendent and principal and former Falcons football coach.

“It is a unique and challenging situation,” he said. “The reason the community is in an uproar is, because it was a non-school event, we have no authority over it at all.”

There are people, said Behrens, who refuse to attend the games as long as Adams is on the team. Others, current coach Darrin Reppe included, have come to his defense. Reppe called Adams a hard worker and good young man.

Adams, 17, doesn’t deny he was there, but said he tried to defuse the situation and was the first to leave when it escalated.

“I learned a lot from it,” he said, “about the people you hang out with and being in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

As a football player the past four years at Sprague-Harrington Adams has posted impressive rushing and receiving numbers and received numerous honors statewide.

“He’s the real deal,” said Reppe. “I know he’d like to play in college. That’s what his goal is.”

Adams averaged 35.3 yards per reception, 11.7 yards per carry, 25.7 yards per punt return and scored 36 touchdowns last year for the state semifinalists.

He was named All-State and was All-Pacific Region at wide receiver by Dan Whitsett, whose Web site, Pac-NW8 High School Football, is dedicated to the 8-man version of the game played by teams in Washington, Idaho and Oregon.

WashingtonPreps.com and the Associated Press named him B-8 All-State first team offensively and he earned mention on defense as a linebacker.

So far this year Adams has rushed for 957 yards, a 10.3 average per carry, has 19 receptions for 528 more yards scored 29 touchdowns, including four on punt and kick returns, in seven games.

“He was always fast,” said Reppe, “but he’s matured a lot physically, his vision is extraordinary and can cut on a dime. We try to get the ball in his hands whenever we can.”

Whitsett is a B-8 aficionado and first-time head coach at Southeast B-8 Tri-Cities Prep. Each summer since 2000 he has conducted a tryout camp exclusively for high-end 8-man football players with the intent to promote them to colleges.

During last summer’s camp for the top 18 8-man players in the region, Adams ran a 4.55 40 and won several speed and agility tests and the standing long jump.

He said earlier this fall that Adams has the capability of playing at a high collegiate level, and that several schools, including Rice University in Texas, expressed interest in him at wide receiver or defensive back.

“One of the main things I saw in Josh,” said Whitsett, “is he was a kid who had a lot of natural talent and football instincts; stuff that can’t be taught.”

Adams got his first taste of 8-man football as Sprague-Harrington’s manager in eighth grade. He began playing for the Falcons as a freshman.

“It was scary, but you have to be confident about it,” he said. “My first real game I got hurt — I couldn’t breathe, got the wind knocked out of me really. It was a wakeup call.”

Summers at a camp at Montana Tech and in the weight room got him to his present 5-foot-9, 175-pound size. So far this year, the only team able to stop him was Columbia (Hunters) during the Lions’ 42-8 win.

Adams is hopeful a college will give him a chance, regardless of what happens in December.

Reppe believes in his star.

“In three-plus years, I have never had a single problem with Josh Adams,” he said. “He has worked extremely hard to be successful, and he puts forth his best effort at all times.”