Hewitt wants 2nd shot

Quarterback Clayton Hewitt and North Star League champion Clark Fork have been to the show.

What they’re looking for this time is the happy ending.

Hewitt, a senior, took the Wampus Cats to the State 1A 8-man championship game two years ago and admits to feeling a bit like a deer in the headlights at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow.

“It was pretty intense starting at quarterback as a sophomore, and I was very nervous in almost every game we played,” said Hewitt, who also starts in the defensive backfield for Clark Fork, ranked No. 2 in the state. “But when we made it to the title game, (Castleford) just destroyed us – they were amazing.”

Of course, things have changed since then, he says, in both himself and his team.

“I’m a lot bigger, stronger and faster now,” Hewitt said. “As a team, I think we just have the determination this year – two years ago was our first time ever being down there and the first time any of us had ever played on AstroTurf.

“This year, we have the experience, and we’re just hungry for it – I think if we play our cards right, and have no more injuries, we can make it to the state title game.”

But Hewitt isn’t under the impression the road to Moscow is going to be easy.

“We have Mullan on Friday night, and then we’ll probably open districts against them, and they’re a tough team,” he said. Hewitt said he feels up to the task of helping to get Clark Fork back to the state championship.

“One of the biggest differences is that I know our offense this year – I don’t have any questions,” Hewitt said. “It seems like everything is just coming naturally and I don’t have to think about it.

“It makes a huge difference.”

He said things couldn’t be better for the team.

“We’ve had a lot of injuries this year, but right now everyone is healed up,” Hewitt said. “It’s awesome, because we’re getting everybody back at exactly the right time.”

As for what comes after high school, the 6-2, 200-pound Hewitt said he wants to continue to play football.

“I want to major in anatomy, and I really want to go to WSU, but I don’t know if I can play football there,” he said. “I’ll eventually end up being a strength coach or something like that, but I’m willing to sacrifice anything to play.

“It’s my dream to play somewhere; I’ll play NAIA, I’ll play anything – I’ll play right guard.”