Freshman football player, freshman Ben Evans, showed a stellar performance at the game against Valley Center on Sept. 7. By making key interceptions, he pushed the team to try their hardest and put the best foot forward. For his efforts, the coaches awarded him the MVP rock, an award for those who distinguish themselves in the face of pressure during games.
The night of the game, Evans distinguished himself through key plays that prevented Valley Center from moving forward with scoring, showing great defensive and offensive behavior.
Evans’s most vital show of play was to intercept the ball multiple times during the game to prevent Valley Center from securing a touchdown. This was the primary reason he was awarded the rock.
Evans is known as a team player who motivates his team, helping lift them up in games. “I’ve known Ben for a while, and he’s a very funny and very supportive person,” freshman Jack Tomko said. “Even with how involved he is, he still finds the time to support his peers.”
“Ben was a skilled, smart, fun, and supportive teammate when I played football with him,” freshman and former football player Ty Tomko said.
Evans said his biggest inspiration was his father, whom he admires for his football skills he had in high school. This combination, according to Evans, led to a natural desire to play football.
“I’ve grown up watching football every weekend in the fall, and my dad played in high school, so naturally I would want to as well,” Evans said.
However, despite the emphasis on the sport, Evans has found time to pursue other interests, including playing guitar and piano. In addition, he plays basketball.
Evans plans to stop with his football career after high school, hoping to enter a prestigious university, not having any specific ideas on where to go. His hope is to make a name for himself at one of the better colleges in the country, maybe attending an Ivy League.
Evans is enthusiastic about encouraging other students to join the sport. “It’s a lot of work, but if you work hard, it can be a lot of fun,” Evans said.
The freshman football season has gotten off to a rough start, but will hopefully pick up traction with the upcoming game against Del Norte on Sept. 19.
