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Sports Oct. 30, 20154 The Thunderbeat Freshman Kieser shows quarterback prowess early CODI PIERCE BUSINESS MANAGER In second grade, Evan Kieser decided to follow in his dad’s foot- steps and play football as a quarterback. In sixth grade, he took a shot at wide receiver only to real- ize he was a natural-born quarterback. Now as a 14-year old freshman, Kieser holds a spot on the Thunderbirds varsity football team as the sec- ond-string quarterback. Going into his first varsity game, Kieser said he was nervous because it was also his first high school game. Seven wins and seven games later, he holds a different mindset. “Now I’ve played in every varsity game so far and I’ve played JV so it’s all just normal now. It’s just another game,” Kie- ser said. Head coach Michael Huffman said Kieser is fortunate enough to be getting a lot of playing time, which is reflecting positively on Kieser’s per- formance. “Evan’s a gifted ath- lete that’s pretty good between the ears so he’s picking up our passing game fairly quickly,” Huff- man said. “Run game he’s already great. He’s a great athlete, h e ’ s fast, he c a n change d i r e c - tion. His passing game is w h e r e h e ’ s r e a l l y improv- ing.” In to- tal this season, K i e - ser has m a d e a total of five passing touchdowns and 169 yards as well as 89 rushing yards and a touchdown. He has scored six touchdowns total. In the first several games of the team’s suc- cessful season, the sec- ond-string and junior var- sity players have had their fair share of time on the field. Among these play- ers is sophomore wide receiver Cedric Johnson. Johnson said he and Kie- ser work well together and have progressed this season. “When me, Kieser, and all of the other re- ceivers are on the same page, it’s lights out for the other team. He is great at adjusting to my play type along with all of the other players,” John- son said. Huffman credits Kies- er with the establishment of the second-string players’ success in varsity games. “Our JV has actu- ally scored more in var- sity games than they ever have before,” Huffman said. “That’s partly be- cause he’s making good decisions. His ability as far as reading defense and throwing to the right place has improved. He hasn’t thrown an inter- ception yet and he’s got m u l - t i p l e touch- d o w n s so he’s d o n e a nice job.” Senior q u a r - terback J a d y n K o w - a l s k i said he h o p e s K i e s e r brings l e a d - e r s h i p a n d football knowl- edge to the team within the next few years. “Playing quarter- back is more of a mind- set rather than a game,” Kowalski said. “It’s more of a thinking game than actual play. You have to know what you’re going to do before it actually happens.” Not only is Kieser a stand- out on the field, but also in everyday life. “He’s an extreme- ly funny person to be around. He’s always posi- tive about things and he has a great character,” Johnson said. Huffman views Kieser as having a good work ethic and always smiling and happy. “Some kids walk around staring at the ground the other half are happy and high-fiving ev- erybody,” Huffman said. “Evan is one of the happy one’s and I like that, es- pecially as a quarterback. The QB always has to be a positive leader.” As for Kieser’s future as a Thunderbird, Huff- man believes if he works hard enough, the rookie will continue to come out on top. “The quarterback has to be the hardest working kid on the team because we put a lot in their hands and I think he’s going to be able to do that,” Huff- man said. AJ FORBES SPORTS EDITOR “Sudden” describes an event that happens unexpectedly or without warning. Nothing can prepare an individual for an event that can’t be prepared for. A single incident has the capabil- ity to redirect the course of a person’s life, if only for a short time. Whether that event proves as ben- eficial or detrimental is decided by the individu- al. In my case, that un- preparable event was a torn medial collateral ligament (MCL) in my left knee the week before the Bellevue West football season opener against Westside. “The MCL’s main function is to prevent the knee from going too far inward, as well as to keep the knee stable,” accord- ing to Cedars-Sinai, a website dedicated to medical information. On Aug. 19, right at the beginning of practice, a teammate fell onto my knee, causing it to col- lapse inward. I immedi- ately heard the ligament pop as I buckled down to the turf. Screams shot from my mouth with my hands grasped around my knee in an attempt to make the pain go away. My body rocked back and forth up until the point both the trainers and head varsity football coach Michael Huffman came to my aid. After I was walked to the trainer’s cart, tears ran down my face. I wasn’t crying because of the pain; I was capable of handling that. Thoughts were running through my head about losing my sophomore season to this freak injury. I didn’t want to admit that I heard a pop, because I knew that that would be admitting that I had a tear. “These injuries are so rampant,” head team physician for the Dallas Mavericks Tarek Souryal said. “There’s no good way to prevent them.” One visit to the emer- gency room and an MRI later, my fear became a reality: my MCL was torn. The ligament had coiled up my leg and would need to be tacked back down to its original spot with a staple. If there was anything positive that resulted from the MRI, it was the fact that the liga- ment tore off the tibia and not straight through the middle. If the tear was through the middle, there would most likely be no chance that I could play before the end of the season. The fact that my MCL tore off the tibia gave me hope. I had surgery Aug. 25 at CHI Health Midlands Hospital. I was excited for the operation. I knew the faster that I had my surgery, the faster I’d be back on the field. For eight hours af- ter surgery, I couldn’t feel anything from the waist down. I was re- stricted to the three feet of room that I was given in the hospital bed with no ability to move my legs, though it wasn’t all bad. Countless double cheeseburgers and His- tory Channel was at my disposal. Although, Rick Harrison and the cast of “Pawn Stars” couldn’t save me from the im- mense amount of pain that shot through my leg after the painkillers wore off. I went home later that afternoon. I attempted to sleep in the living room recliner for three days, but I kept thinking about what this process would be like. When do I start physical therapy? Will I be able to do everything I did before? Why did this happen to me? I focused on play- ing after I healed. I re- fused to accept that there was a possibility of not returning for my sophomore season. I was determined to excel dur- ing physical therapy and to do everything that I needed to do to put that jersey on and play under those Friday night lights with my teammates. Athlete’s Training Center is where I resided every Monday, Wednes- day, and Friday after- noon for physical thera- py. Physical therapist Eric Horstman used every second of the hour long session to help me with whatever he felt neces- sary. Initially, basic exer- cises were implemented in order for me to regain range of motion and strength in my left leg. Activities to build stabil- ity in the knee followed. As I continued to pass all the tests I was given, there was one question I always asked: When can I play again? “The hardest part of my job is telling people no,” Horstman said. “People want to play and telling them ‘no’ is hard.” Bi-weekly visits with orthopedic surgeon Pe- ter Cimino proved frus- trating as I entered my sixth week of recovery. Stubbornness became my enemy. I didn’t want to hear that I wasn’t ready yet. It pushed me to continue working hard during physical therapy as we moved toward sprinting, jumping, and weight training. The eighth week of my recovery had arrived, as did evaluations from Cimino and Horstman. Oct. 21 is when I was tested for strength, stability, and sufficient range of motion at Ath- lete’s Training Center. I was required to sprint thirty yards five times. No pain. I was required to jump on a box two feet tall. Too easy. I needed to be able to change direction quickly in be- tween a series of cones. There was nothing to it. I got the go-ahead from Horstman. Cimino gave his approval the next day. Tonight the Thunder- birds take on the Lincoln North Star Navigators in the first round of the state football playoffs. I no longer have to stand on the sidelines and games, cheering on my teammates and wishing I could be out there with them. It was hard to see the light at the end of a seem- ingly endless tunnel. But now, I see this incident as more of a learning experience rather than a misfortune. I learned how to contribute to my team without being on the field. I developed a more vocal leadership skill, while before, I com- monly lead by example. The game of football was taken away from me and that proved to me how passionate I am for the game. Column: MCL injury leads to appreciation, gratitude The only birds in the sky: Bellevue West defeats Central CODI PIERCE BUSINESS MANAGER What happened: On Friday, Oct. 23 the Thun- derbirds defeated the Omaha Central Eagles, who left their “offensive key” at home, 45-21, in their last regular season football game. This win leaves West with a 9-0 re- cord, which has only hap- pened one other time in Bellevue West history. By the numbers: Senior quarterback Jadyn Kow- alski threw for 301 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for two. Senior receiver Cade Johnson received two touchdowns and had 127 receiving yards. Senior receiver Trystn Ducker managed a 31-yard re- ception. Senior corner- back Josiah Ewing had 12 solo tackles. Junior safety Kevin Ponec dished out five solo tackles and six assisted tackles. Junior cornerback Chris Finn had his first two intercep- tions of the season for a total of 41 yards. Did you see that? Dur- ing the first quarter, Kow- alski converted on 4th and 9 to set up their 2nd touchdown score. After Central’s first touchdown, senior outside linebacker Austin Points blocked Central’s attempted ex- tra point. Next up: The Bellevue West Thunderbirds foot- ball team will take on 16- seed Lincoln North Star in a home playoff game on Friday, Oct. 30. The cost is $5 for students and $7 for adults. Activity cards will not be accept- ed, as it is a NSAA event. Graphic by Jacob Kunes Photo by Codi Pierce Freshman Evan Kieser evades Bellevue East defenders during the East vs. West football game Sept. 25. NOVEMBER10TH 2PM-4PM BELLEVUEWESTHIGHSCHOOL NORTH GYM COMEHEARABOUT: •SOCIALMEDIARESPONSIBILITY •BULLYING •MENTALHEALTH •LABELS •TEXTINGANDDRIVING •SUBSTANCEABUSE •LAZINESS •ANIMALABUSE Cbl Presentation fair

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