The East Mills junior led his team to a 40-28 come-from-behind victory over Woodbine last week in the season opener. He did a little of everything, throwing for 329 yards and five touchdowns on offense and adding 11 tackles and two interceptions on defense. The Wolverines will take that momentum into Friday's contest against Lenox, the state's top-ranked team in Eight-Man.

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Q: This is your first season as a full-time starting quarterback. Did you take it upon yourself to assume a larger leadership role?

A: Yeah, I knew we were losing a lot of seniors, so I knew I had to be able to lead the team. I lead more by example, but I'm vocal if I have to be. We've got other guys who've stepped up, too.

Q: How much more preparation goes into being a starting quarterback?

A: You've got to focus on a few different things. Last year I was a wide receiver, and now I've got to focus on the whole defense more. Last season, I focused more on the defensive backs.

Q: What did last Friday's comeback victory do for your confidence as a quarterback?

A: I think it gave our whole team a lot of confidence. A lot of us hadn't started any varsity games, and we had a lot of guys step up and play real well. It should help build more confidence for our next game.

Q: You led the team in tackles last season. Would you rather play offense or defense if you had to choose?

A: I don't know if I could pick one. I like both sides. I guess I enjoy quarterback. I like being able to control the game, but everyone else contributes, too. It's just nice to see the result at the end of the game when that happens.

Q: You did start a few times last season when Jake Bolton was injured. He threw for 30 touchdowns and almost 2,000 yards last fall. What did you learn from his talents?

A: He helped me be more confident. If he went down, he told me I was ready to play. That really helped build me as a player and not be as nervous when I filled in. But those are some big shoes to fill. Hopefully I can do that this year.

Q: Any quarterback will say he's nothing without the players around him. What makes the East Mills offense special?

A: (Tight end) Daniel Duysen, (running back) Kaleb Richter, and (running back) Brandon Clemmons are all fast and can get open at any time. We've got a lot of other guys that can come in to fill their spots. We've got a lot of speed; we'll (use) that.

Q: How did last season's first-round, state-playoff loss to Adair-Casey motivate this team?

A: I think we worked a lot harder and got into great shape. We had to have a couple guys in my class step up last year due to injuries, and they got valuable experience at the state (playoffs). I think we all want it really bad this year.

— Patrick Donohue

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