For as long as he can
remember, Southwest senior, Rylan Cotton, has loved to compete. Whether it’s
one of his three varsity sports--football, basketball and baseball, or a
pick-up game with one of his buddies, Cotton naturally gives it his all. “It
doesn’t take much to get me fired up,” said Cotton. “I really thrive on
competition.”
Cotton’s competitive
nature suits his dual threat quarterback role nicely, as he doesn’t mind
running the ball between the tackles, in fact he feeds off of it. “I like
hard-hitting games,” he added. “It really gets me going.”
While Cotton runs and
passes equally well, he says he has more confidence in his passing game this
year. “We attended a 7-on-7 camp this summer and it really helped me…I’m a
lot more confident passer now.”
Whether
he’s taking a handoff from the slot position, hauling in a pass, playing
defensive back, or returning kicks, North Star senior, Jerry Key, enjoys
being a utility player. “I really
like the versatility,” Key said of his role. “It’s a chance to
contribute in different ways.”
Overall, Key doesn’t
have a preference to which side of the ball he contributes most, just as
long as the team is winning. “It doesn’t matter how many touches I get,”
he said. “If I can help the team, I’m happy.”
Key’s versatility
isn’t limited to the football field. He brings his athletic diversity to
the basketball court and to the track as a sprinter and high jumper as
well. In all, he believes playing three sports helps him. “It really
keeps me going,” he said. “It also keeps me in shape.”
After graduation, Key
wants to compete in college, but isn’t yet sure what school or sport.
For now, he’s just relishing his senior year. “It’s already going fast
and I want to enjoy every minute.”
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Jerry Key - Lincoln North Star
