By GARY VAN CLEAVE
Special to Great Bend Post
There’s a new kid in town here locally and he’s ready to showcase his talents on the gridiron.
He’s Kinsley High freshman Josh Stuckey, who dominated the middle school level and has hopes and aspirations of doing the same in high school.
“QB especially as a freshman is gonna be a hard task,” Stuckey said. “And I know that my coach trusts me especially from last year in junior high. I know the task at hand and I have people believing in me every step of the way. I am learning from the best (head coach Corey Dunlap).”
“While he might be smaller than some of the other players, he's determined to work his way up and use his size and skills to his advantage,” former Coyote quarterback Peyton Schmidt said. “His agility and speed can make him a formidable opponent on the field, allowing him to maneuver quickly and avoid tackles.”
“I think he's got the athleticism to be really good,” sophomore speedster Woody Lancaster said. “We just need to see how he adjusts to the speed at the high school level.”
Stuckey stands 5-foot-5 and weighs 140 pounds, but Stuckey fields a gargantuan heart after rushing for over 1,000 yards and 15 touchdowns as an eighth grader.
“I think that my biggest competitor is myself and I compete with myself all the time,” Stuckey said. “And I think that makes my size go away.”
“It’s crazy because it shows how much work he puts in everyday to make those type of numbers possible,” freshman lineman Lane Hattrup said.
“It doesn’t matter the situation he never loses momentum,” freshman lineman Grant Schmitt said. “It’s like even if we are losing by 40, he will still play his hardest because to him, the game is never lost.”
Stuckey said he carried the ball almost every play in junior high.
“Some games I went for 250 (yards), others 100. It’s just how the game is,” Stuckey said. “I was our fullback seventh grade year. I would describe myself as more of a runner than a thrower with not as much experience with coverages and what not. But personally Woodrow and I will make an amazing duo this upcoming season.”
That 1-2 punch could be a viable force for the Coyotes.
“He has one year experience and I have zero. So I will definitely be looking up at him in clutch situations,” Stuckey said. “He has very good speed so a lot of options. We’ve always had a very strong connection even from a young age so I saw a lot of just chemistry that I didn’t know that was there but is there.”
“He's really shifty, quiet but confident,” Lancaster said. “We’re both young and ready to win so we have the same goal.”
“Starting early gives him plenty of time to hone his accuracy, improve his decision-making and gain valuable experience,” Schmidt said of Stuckey. “With his dedication and hard work, Josh has the potential to develop into a standout quarterback who can lead his team to success. I think he’s gonna be good.”
Schmidt earned the respect from Stuckey last year.
“Well when I was water boy for their team last year, he came up to (coach) Dunlap and told him what he saw and what they needed to do on offense,” Stuckey said. “Which I thought was really cool because as that leader he knows what is good for the team.”
“I mean it’s a big change in size, but Josh is a dog. He can still sling it and he's sneaky fast,” Colby Craft said.
“Well as a QB his passing is good, but his biggest strength as QB is his speed,” sophomore wide receiver Jonathan Meza said. “The only thing holding him back will be his size, but other than that he’s a pretty good QB.”
“Josh is a great QB. He is a natural leader who never puts you down,” Hattrup said. “He is always encouraging and never gives up. He is very athletic and works hard every practice to make himself and other players better.”
“I’ve seen him play in junior high a couple times, but high school is a whole different level,” senior defensive back Anthony Meza said. “But if coach trusts him to be QB as a freshman then i think he has pretty good potential.”
Schmitt knows Stuckey can do some big things for the Coyotes.
“He is one that just goes out and gets the job done. He can run, throw, anything you need him to do he can deliver in all kinds of pressure,” Schmitt said.
Stuckey has worked on his strength this summer and it’s evident in the fact he benches and squats 50 pounds more than he did one year ago.
He motivates himself “by knowing that I’m the guy for the spot and that ‘you’re the best player on the field,’ “ Stuckey said.
“I’m definitely nervous because of how much faster the game is than junior high, but very much excited as well,” Stuckey continued.
“He can really do it all,” Craft said. “I didn't see him one time in open field not get a big gain.”
“He’s a dawg,” sophomore defensive end Brady Kraft said. “He has the potential to lead this team farther than most people expect.”
“Whenever he gets a gap and has space, he was gone in junior high, but who knows how’s he’s gonna do in high school with faster kids,” Jonathan Meza said.
“It’s fun because you know he’s gone when there’s nothing but grass in front of him,” Hattrup said. “He is a great example to everyone how to be a good team player. He is a friend to everyone no matter what.”
“I think he has the potential to be one of the best athletes in 1A, or even all of Kansas, when he is a senior,” Schmitt said. “Sure he has some room to grow, but with the experience and responsibility of being the starting quarterback as a freshman, I feel that it will help him become the best athlete he can be by the time we are seniors.”
Stuckey defines success this way.
“Having a goal in your head and succeeding,” he said. “Not only making yourself better, but the people around you better as well.”