These defenders are marvels
What do you get when you combine the Destroyer, the Hammer, the Ghost and the Opportunist?
They’re the nucleus of the best defense in Lake City High School history.
Those are the so-called nicknames of the top players on what has proven, statistically, to be the Timberwolves’ best defense in the school’s 13 years. But defensive coordinator Russ Blank doesn’t need statistics to tell him what he has known all along this year.
“It is the best defense in school history, no doubt,” Blank said. “This is the fastest team defensively we’ve put on the field, too. We’re not as physical as the ‘98 team.”
But they’re physical enough. Speed, though, trumps strength any day.
A coach with much credibility confirmed in person what he suspected on film when LC’s defense led a 55-20 smothering of Lewiston two weeks ago.
“Lake City’s front seven are as good as I’ve seen since the great defenses of Centennial in the early 1990s,” Lewiston offensive coordinator and former head coach Nick Menegas said. “And their linebackers are the best I’ve seen together at any one time in the state and I’ve been coaching in Idaho since 1985.”
LC head coach Van Troxel agreed.
“That’s the best group of linebackers I’ve seen in 28 years,” he said.
Having a solid defense has given the offense a confidence boost all season.
“We know we can rely on the defense. They’ve been the backbone of our team,” senior quarterback Garren Hammons said. “It’s nice to know we don’t have to win high-scoring games.”
Now for the introductions. Those linebackers, all seniors, are Matt Widmyer (aka, the Ghost, 6-foot-3, 200 pounds), Brandon Hanna (the Hammer, 6-3, 220) and Chris Bobbitt (the Opportunist, 6-3, 180). They were all named to the 5A Inland Empire League’s first-team defense.
The best player of the batch, though, is a junior, defensive end Byron Hout (the Destroyer, 6-1, 215), the league’s overall player of the year based on his two-way abilities and play on special teams. He added starting duties on the offensive line during the first game at Coeur d’Alene when Carson York was injured. Hout has remained as a two-way starter since York’s return two weeks ago.
The statistics are staggering. LC’s defense has scored seven touchdowns, has 17 interceptions and has recovered 15 fumbles. It also has 48 sacks (a team-high 11 each by Widmyer and Hout) and 34 tackles for loss (team-high 11 by Hout).
Widmyer, who has had recruiting interest from three NCAA Division I schools, has led LC in tackles the last two years. He was named the league’s defensive player of the year.
He’s called the Ghost because he gets things done seemingly coming out of nowhere.
“I’m not a big guy. I’m not going to smack into you,” Widmyer said. “Carson (York, offensive lineman) calls me the Ghost because I find a way around the blocks, find the holes and I’m always around the ball.”
So much so that in any other year, Widmyer probably would have broken the school record for tackles. But because he has so many capable assistants, the tackles were well spread out.
Blank calls Widmyer the team’s Steady Eddie.
“He never gets hurt,” Blank said. “He’s played 22 straight games and he’s been our leading tackler all the way through that stretch. He really set the tone for us on the first play against Coeur d’Alene last Friday. He was blitzing and he jumped about a foot and a half in the air and batted down the first pass. It was something.”
Hanna, along with York, is headed to the University of Oregon. Blank believes that Hanna’s play the second half of the season shows why Oregon recruited him.
In fact, Oregon recruited Hanna, who was named the IEL’s linebacker of the year, on athletic potential alone. His season was cut short halfway through last year because of a broken leg.
“He’s our leader. He makes all the calls out there,” Blank said of the team’s middle linebacker. “He’s our most physical hitter. He just bashes guys. His blitz timing and his reads are so much better right now. He’s peaking at the right time.”
Bobbitt’s ability to be in the right place at the right time earned him the tag as Opportunist. He’s returned two blocked punts by Hout for touchdowns. He has four fumble recoveries and two interceptions. He’s also the team’s second-leading tackler.
“Whenever there’s a turnover, it seems he’s always in the area and is ready to score,” Blank said. “In the playoff game against Coeur d’Alene, he was there ready to return the blocked punt for a touchdown.”
“It just bounced by me,” Bobbitt said. “I wanted it really bad.”
Bobbitt came on near the end of his junior season, and Troxel knew he would be one of his team’s impact players this season.
“We don’t have any weak links,” Bobbitt said of the defense. “Everybody does their responsibilities.”
The enforcer of the group, not only on defense but also on the offensive line, is Hout.
Blank pointed to one play last Friday against CdA that epitomizes Hout’s abilities and never-ending intensity.
“He went through three guys around the edge and still managed to get to Shea (Vucinich, CdA’s quarterback) as he was releasing the ball,” Blank said. “His motor never stops going.
“What’s funny is the play will be over and it looks like Byron might be tired or dragging a little and then – boom – as soon as the next play starts he’s at it again. He’s the most destructive player we’ve ever had. His aim point and pad levels are phenomenal. He accelerates through guys.”
Hout may be LC’s most versatile player. There’s not a position that Troxel doesn’t think Hout could play effectively, including running back. Next year, Troxel plans to move Hout to middle linebacker, the position he will most likely play in college.
The prospect of Hout being able to roam around on defense and make more plays puts a smile on Troxel’s face.
Hout said he was honored to be named the league’s player of the year as a junior, but he shares the credit with the defense.
“We’re playing as a team and everybody is feeding off each other,” Hout said. “It’s taken us a while to play as a team. Right now we’re playing the best we’ve played all year. We’ve got the best defense in the state.”