In it for the hits
One play, just one football play from scrimmage, says it all about Max Riggs.
On a simple, straight-ahead running play, Riggs, a senior linebacker/fullback for Freeman High School, fires out of his three-point stance and charges into his assigned hole. His eyes betray a sense of impending delight as he lowers himself into position to deliver the blow for his assigned block. The hit, the drive, the chance to take an opponent completely out of a play – it’s what makes the game special.
And, judging from his facial expression, Max Riggs feels cheated if he doesn’t at least hear his opponent’s pads pop like a firecracker.
At 5-feet-11 and 195 pounds, he rarely fails.
“I like delivering the hit,” Riggs admits. “I play fullback the same way I play linebacker. When you’re playing defense, you have to keep your eyes open and watch the whole play. You have to read the play and figure out where you need to be. But on offense, I know where I’m going and who I’m supposed to hit. I like that.”
Riggs is a rarity on this year’s Scotties squad: a four-year varsity player and a three-year starter – an All-Northeast A League first-team linebacker and the league’s defensive Most Valuable Player a year ago.
A year after a deep and talented senior class graduated, Riggs found himself in a new situation.
“The seniors we had last year, a lot of them were three-year starters,” Riggs said. “I played as a freshman and started as a sophomore. I got to learn a lot from them. I learned a lot from players like Andrew Wilkerson and from my brother (all-league linebacker and tight end Bryan Riggs). You got to watch players like that, you got to play with them and you got to learn from them in turn.
“My brother was a big influence. My freshman year, Bryan was playing the other outside linebacker spot when I got in for a few games. It was memorable for me to play next to him.”
Bryan Riggs now plays wide receiver as a sophomore at the University of Montana. He was voted the state’s defensive player of the year by WashingtonPreps.com as a Freeman senior and was a two-time all-state selection.
Max Riggs said he’s tried to pass along the lessons he learned from those seniors before him, especially as this year’s team struggled.
“Most of this team didn’t get a chance to play all that much, so there’s been a learning curve,” he said. “And some of last year’s seniors you just can’t replace.
“But we do understand the tradition of playing football at Freeman and we’re carrying that on.”
The Scotties dropped to 4-5 Thursday, losing 34-12 to Colfax. In the 1A regional playoffs next weekend, No. 4 Northeast A seed will visit Cashmere of the Caribou Trail.
Riggs looks forward to following his brother into college football. He has been a regular at Grizzly Stadium for home games this season.
“I haven’t been looked at by Montana, so I don’t think I’ll be going over there,” he said. Eastern Washington, maybe. If that doesn’t work, I’m thinking about walking on down at Idaho. Our starting quarterback last year (Andrew Dresback) did that this year and he’s redshirting now.”