By GARY VAN CLEAVE
Special to Great Bend Post
When watching the Russell Broncos this fall, avoid blinking when possible. Especially when Walker Middleton has the football.
“It seems like once you blink,” junior lineman Ian Strobel said, “he is already down the field.
“He is an electrifying player who keeps his head down and works hard on and off the field,” Strobel continued. “He lets his playing do all of the talking.”
“I am a quiet leader and leads by example and let my playing do the talking,” said Middleton, who as a sophomore last year caught seven touchdown passes and totaled 541 receiving yards on 50 catches.
“When someone tries to tackle him, he always finds a way out of the tackle,” junior receiver Dominick Hernandez said. “Whether it’s a juke move or he simply just out-runs him.”
“His explosiveness, he’s a very elusive playmaker,” sophomore defensive end sack specialist Brody Pfannenstiel said. “Even if there isn’t great a great block, he can still make a play.”
Middleton also carried 19 times for 171 yds and a pair of rushing touchdowns to go with a pick six.
“I mean he’s got wheels and he’s tough to bring down,” graduated senior Seth Schneider noted. “Trying to tackle him was a nightmare.”
“He is a really fast talented back. He is also very shifty and hard to tackle, hard to bring down when you wrap him up,” senior receiver Landon Robinson said.
“He’s very quick on his feet and very reactive,” senior fullback Brayden Suchy said. “He’s good with finding openings in the defense to get us a good amount of yards.”
One of Middleton’s TD catches went for 72 yards.
“I caught a five-yard reception then cut back into middle of the field then cut back to the sideline then just took off,” Middleton said.
“It felt pretty good because it was our second game against Plainville and later in that game we came back and won it,” Middleton added of his seven-catch, 130-yard, two TD game.
In the season opener against Ellis, he accounted for three touchdowns.
“His football IQ is off the charts,” senior quarterback Mason Rohr said. “I know he will find the open spots and make the plays we need. He also knows how to use his strengths on the football field and be a go-to guy for us at all times.”
“Walker is overall a great kid, he puts in the work day in and day out,” junior tight end Alex Krug said. “He is a great leader and will get any job done he is tasked with. Walker can out-run all opponents with his speed and athleticism. I would choose him as my teammate any day of the week.”
“He’s the quickest and fastest reacting guy I’ve ever seen on a football field,” junior receiver Sam Thielen said.
Trey Zorn, backup junior quarterback, called Middleton ‘unstoppable’ in the open field.
“Very natural athlete, very shifty, size doesn’t matter to him and very coachable kid,” Zorn said.
“Gone. He’s there then gone,” junior fullback Slayde Nuss said. “Walker is very quick and also smart, he also loves to compete to make people better.”
The Broncos look to improve on last year’s 4-5 season in which they capped with a 57-6 beating of Southwestern Heights.
“We can be one of the best in the state because we have a lot of experience returning back,” Middleton said. “That’s what we lacked last year.”
“Walker’s speed is some of the quickest fast twitch I’ve ever seen, his change of direction is unlike anyone else,” graduated senior Peyton Pfannenstiel said. “I don’t know too much about this year with him putting in work, but he’s always been a hard worker. He’s one of those guys who really understands the game and I think that’s why he’s so talented.”
Middleton defines success like this.
“Whatever goals you and the team have set and you exceed past those goals, that is what success means to me,” Middleton said.
“It feels good to watch him bust a big play after I set the edge or blocking in the open field and watch him take off,” Strobel said.
“I hope to leave a winning mentality and hope the younger classes continue on the mentality and culture,” Middleton said. “I’m just excited to be playing football again and can’t wait to see what I can do this year.”