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Chasing The Dream Part 6: The Boys Are Back In Town

Chasing The Dream Part 6: The Boys Are Back In Town

 

 

What is the one thing that at the end of the day so many thousands of kids and parents dream of? What is the dream they share when they strap that helmet on as high school football begins it’s annul grind? Is it to be the best or is it something much more?

This year we invite you to join us on a journey into the lives of several Pacific Northwest high school athletes as they travel a road only they can travel. Together we will share their stories as they work to manage their lives on and off the field.

Let there be no doubt. They all want to play football in college and share that common dream. Getting there is the trick.

Join us this pre-season and all year as we bring you their stories in our ground breaking series. Join us on the inside where anything and everything is possible. From strength training, combines, camps, and the season itself…join us.

Join Us for “Chasing The Dream”. Chapter 6: 5/1/2011-


Meet The Athletes: The Boys Are Back In Town



Trent Sewell is a top rated Wide Receiver in the Pacific Northwest and one of the hardest working athletes we have ever seen. At 6’2″ and now at 205 pounds he is a big target. Trent will be a Senior and attends Bothell High in Bothell, Washington; home of the “Blue Train” as they are known. One of the few kids we are covering who gained enough recognition to garner offers his Junior season, Trent begins the preseason with offers from Pac 10 WSU and UCLA.
Update: Trent has WSU and UCLA who have offered and is close to an OSU offer we feel

Boise State, Oregon State, Utah, and Notre Dame are all coming next week to evaluate him at school.  Track is starting to go well.  Bothell has the #1 time in the 400 m relay in the state and Trent is starting to get back in the groove in the sprints now that football is over for the moment.  He won the 100m against Skyline last week ran 10.9 on a cold/rainy day (first time he has run the 100m all year).  His 400 time is starting to fall as he won his heat and got third overall at the big Bellevue invite last weekend (second time he has run the 400 all year).  That extra 25lbs we put on him is starting to look good with that speed!  Trent also officially received his Army All American Game Nomination!  Way to Go Trent

Trent Sewell with Coach Tom Baintor and a US Army Sargeant

Trent is also rated in the Top 10 in the

Rivals.com WashingtonPreps.com

Official Class of 2012 polls.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Nicholas Rothstein Jesuit High Portland
Nicholas Rothstein will be a Senior at Portland’s Jesuit High School. “Rocky” as he is known is 5’11” and 203 pounds of solid muscle. One of the most gifted athletes on the West Coast he is a guy who gets it done. Offense or Defense he shines and was one of the premier players in Oregon last year. He was awarded many honors and named to the All State Team. His 105 Sparq Rating really opened some eyes and Nick is hearing from some of the Nations biggest schools along with many smaller schools. He feels he is close to an offer as pre-season begins. His story took a turn recently as the starting QB at Jesuit left last month and he is being asked to step up and be the starting QB at one of the largest and most successful schools anywhere. He projects to college as a safety or slot back but told us he welcomes this challenge. His story to reinvent himself will be a great one to watch unfold.
Update:

BYU and Colorado came and spoke with Nicholas at Jesuit and both told him they were evaluating him and he was definitely on their board.   He has been to PSU twice now and the recruiting coordinator told him that Coach Jackson wants to offer and needs to get the okay from Coach Burton.  They told him to come to the spring game on May 7th and they will let him know where they are at with an offer at that time.   He has sent game film and information to about 15 new schools and will be sending everything to the Big Sky schools this weekend.

Rocky can do more then he has done.  No one kid or family has been spending more time networking and doing their part.  He is a known entity.  Now it is just a matter of time and patience.


Steven Long Sherwood High School Running back
Steven Long is a household name in Oregon. He is one of the most prolific runners in Oregon Prep football history. He rushed for 217 yards and 2 TD’s and helped his team win the Oregon 5A State Championship in the Title game in 2011. No one has done more to improve them selves and get to the collegiate level. But one thing challenges this young man and that is his stature. At 5’7″ his height is a factor but not necessarily an insurmountable one. Jacquizz Rodgers was 5’6″ and 180 his Senior year and was no faster or more athletic then Long. “Quizz” has certainly changed the way teams look at smaller backs and he has just declared for the NFL draft. Long is working tirelessly to add some size and is almost 170 pounds in this picture. His story will be a terrific one to follow. He can play collegiate ball and should. Where he ends up is anyones guess.
Update: As usual I’ve been very busy the last few weeks. I took unofficial visits to Idaho, Washington State, and Oregon State.  It was great getting to meet the coaches at those schools and get some perspective about the schools and their football programs.  I also had a great time visiting UW with a great group of guys from the area.  I’ve been invited to several summer camps, including OSU and Miami, but I haven’t yet decided which ones I’ll be attending. Workouts have been great and I’m really starting to get excited about this summer and being able to show what I can do at the camps.  More than anything, I’m looking forward to next year as I plan on starting the season faster and stronger than ever.

Steven Long meets two guys he really looks up too. James and Jaquizz Rodgers of OSU!

 

 

Steven knows he is fighting the

impression of his stature but all he  has

to do is look at James and Jaquizz

Rodgers to see it is all possible.

 

 

 


<a  data-cke-saved-href=viewprospect.asp?Sport=1&pr_key=123882 href=viewprospect.asp?Sport=1&pr_key=123882>Kieren McDonagh</a> Skyview HS
Kieran McDonagh will be a Senior at Skyview High School in Vancouver. He is a fantastic athlete physically. At 6’2.5″ and 225 pounds he is lean and commands a presence. He passes what is known in collegiate recruiting as “the look test”. But “Rocky” as he is known is still awaiting his shot. A chance to manage a team an entire season. Something he has had to wait to do since his family moved last year. But make no mistake. This kid can play and given a chance appears to have all the skills a team would want in a QB. Next to Jeff Lindquist (star multi-Offer QB of Mercer Island) McDonagh may be the best. For him the issue will be garnering attention from schools as most big colleges are offering Juniors to be and well through their recruiting cycle. We think he is going to be terrific and his development and ascent as the season comes along a fast one.
Update: Two weeks ago on April 2 I went to another Barton 7 on 7.  The coaches thought I had another good day. There wasn’t a lot  of players there which I personally enjoy because it gives me a chance to slow it down, go over stuff with the coaches and I can correct whatever I am doing wrong. I have been working out hard and have gotten faster and quicker while gaining ten pounds.

I feel like this will help me out a lot this coming season in standing strong in the pocket and shrugging off lineman, and also having increased stamina and arm strength at the end of games.

On April 13 a group of players from Oregon and Southwest Washington went up to the University of Washington for a Max Preps photo shoot with Tom Lemming.  It was a great experience to see all these guys working just as hard as I am, all of us trying to reach the same dream.

Meeting with the Husky coaches was also an amazing experience. This past weekend I went up to Seattle and spent a day working out with a family friend and ex Stanford Quarterback Mike Cordova.  Mike is a big guy like me and really has great comments that relate to how I play.  His coaching has really improved my release speed as well as my deep ball. I have three weeks to the Elite 11 camp and am working hard on all my throws. I am still sending tapes out everywhere as well as emailing coaches trying to get closer to my Goal.


Adam Winterling Jesuit High
Adam Winterling will be a Senior at Jesuit and up until now a little known Wide Receiver. His asset is his size at 6’4″ and now 200 plus pounds which makes him one of the biggest athletes on the West Coast playing that spot. Adam also has terrific hands and his route running ability is excellent. Speed will be an issue but he is getting better and better and training 6 days a week to get there. He is also a terrific student who has big plans in life and who also plans to play college ball. He wants to “go-big” as the kids say but is open. He loves football and thrives in the life style. We look for great things and a great look at the life as Adam chases his goals.
Update:

This week has been exciting to say the least! In addition to my training at PTC, I have made big strides in my recruiting. I have had more contact from PAC-12 schools, including Utah and Colorado who will join the PAC-12 next year. In addition, I also made the trip up to the University of Washington along with many of the top Oregon recruits. This was helpful for me as a recruit, as I was able to physically compare myself to other wide receivers. It was also a chance to bond with many of the guys I’ll be playing with and against at the next level. Having 15 of the top players in Oregon in the same van for 5 hours was crazy but fun as well! I definitely made some new friends! The visit to Washington was a great learning experience as well, and I was excited about the interest I received from Coach Nussmeier. I also was able to meet Tom Lemming, who was very encouraging and said my size and athleticism would give me an advantage in recruiting.

Right now, my main focus is on final preparations for combines/camps! I won’t stop chasing the dream!



Walker Williams is currently the biggest linemen in the region. The Senior from Tacoma Baptist also happens to be one of the biggest recruits. He is not a household name but is known within the circle of sports writers and analysts and some Pac 10 schools. That will change. This young guy had transformed his 6’7″ and 320 pound frame in the past 6 months to something that will blow people away. God gave him a gift in his size and he is learning how to use it. Woe be the Defensive linemen that has to take on Mount Williams this year. The other thing about Walker is his amazing grace and character. A more outgoing person with a positive heart you will not find. Walker is another guy with a 3.8 GPA that could play at Yale or at USC.
Update: Walker now has UCLA, WSU, Wisconsin, and OSU to his list of growing Offers!

The Wisconsin trip was great and Walker really likes the school.  They can provide academically everything he wants and needs which is his primary focus and the fact that they groom amazing lineman helps as well.

We’re at OSU this Friday and Saturday to meet the coaches and visit the campus. We’re looking forward to the visit.

Walker is trimming the list at this point and focusing on his top picks. He’s decided not to go to the Boise camp and possibly drop 2 others since he already knows he would pick Wisconsin over those ones.  Makes sense.

Walker is on his way and one of our Dreamers who is set to go on to the Future!


Brady Watts is returning to the High School football scene as a Senior for the Tualatin Timberwolves. Last season his Wolves came up just a little short in their efforts to win it all loosing to Aloha in the Oregon 6A State Title game. But Watts is a 6′, 195 pound stud that is a punishing hitter and a hard charger. He is projecting well as a Linebacker into College but will be a featured Running Back in Tualtin’s ground game too. He is realistic about his chances and is looking to hit as many events as he can. Following his development as he comes into his Senior year should be great. Brady has a lot to offer any program.
Update: Over the last week I have been intensely focused on getting my letters to coaches/universities written and my DVDs made, and I have begun sending it out to a number of colleges that I think are the right fit for my abilities and adademic goals.. It’s a big relief to finally have it done and now I can begin to see what kind of real looks I get. It’s been stressing me out ,but I feel like now I can get a better idea of what my chances of playing where will be. It is exciting and nerve-racking at the same time to see what will shake out. In the meantime, I have also been continuing to train 5 days a week to be able to perform well at combines as well.I have gained 10 pounds of muscle since I started at PTC, while shaving tenths of seconds off my sprints and gaining inches on my vertical. Lately, I have seen my squats steadily rising with being able to rep 25 more pounds than previous weeks. I can feel myself become more and more athletic all the time and I can not wait to start strapping on pads and show how hard I have been working.
We saw Brady this weekend at the 7 On 7 Passing Leagues Tourney at OSU and he LOOKED GREAT.  He was fast, had great reaction times, and he is tremendously fit and looking bigger!  Very good stuff Brady!



Evan Voeller is only a 10th grader at West Linn High School. But the 6’5″, 285 pound giant is known throughout much of the land as he took on some serious competition at the NIKE NFTC Camps and the NUC Combines and proved himself against older kids. He is on several “watch lists” which are circulated in the sports world where names of future stars are mentioned. Evan just smiles. He has work to do and he knows it. But he is still only 15. He trains 5 or 6 days a week and is sure looks like his rise to the top ranks of the O’line group is on its way. Evan is a wonderful person and hard worker in school as well. Let’s ee what happens with him this season.

Evan just received a verbal offer from Coach Steve Sarkisian of the U of W to play football for Washington.  He is very close to a Duck offer based on a few things we know!  Way to Go Evan!!

Update:  As you know, big week for me with a solid offer from UW. Solid experience all the way. I also had a solid experience while visiting Oregon. I continue to prep for next season at PTC and am looking forward to spring ball soon!  These are exciting developments for me and the family!


AJ Glass west linn football
AJ Glass is a Junior to be at West Linn. He is a WR/RB and excellent on defense as well. AJ has above average agility and gained National attention at the NUC combine regionals last year. He is fluid and smooth and very accomplished in his athletics. Right now he is 6’1″ and 198 pounds and really starting to fill out. Time will tell how this 2013 grad will wind up but the jouney to get on to the College ranks is well underway!
Update:

Last week was very hectic but great for sure. I trained as usual on Monday and Tuesday.  Monday doing various running and lower body work outs such as hurdle bounds, hill sprints and squats, and Tuesday doing upper body work outs such as bench press, (230 4 sets of 5) pull ups, floor press with dumbbells, and of course, core. Wednesday was the most important day of the week for me, I traveled with 15 other kids to the University of Washington to meet the coaches, check out the campus, and take photo’s for the Tom Lemming and Maxpreps photo shoot. Over all it was a great trip and the coaches were extremely gracious, I got invited to their summer camp and may be putting that into my agenda. This week I got an invitation to camp at TCU, Junior day at Yale, and  camps at UCLA, Princeton, and Eastern Washington.   I finished the week with more running and training.  I’m looking forward to next Saturday when I will hopefully be traveling back down to OSU for more 7 on 7.



Caleb Smith is going to be a Senior at Kentridge. He joins us this week and this 6’7″, 240 pound converted QB is on the rise. Caleb earned his wings at the Army All American Combine this January and is now rated a 3 star prospect. No offers yet but Caleb is on the rise and has great athletic ability. He and his team from Kentridge are heaidng to the Tacoma Dome for the WIAA State Basketball Championship Series and are in the elite 8. We welcome Caleb and his awesome family to Chasing the Dream!
Update: This week I received invitations to a couple elite camps, one of which was The University of Utah, and I spoke on the phone with coach Duff about their program and what they have to offer and I am intending on attending their camp in June because I am highly interested. Our school also received two transfer football players who have moved up from Arizona whom I have been working out with for a week or two. I have been continuing to plan my camp circuit for late June and hoping that my recruiting picks up very soon. Just keeping up the hard work and good things will be sure to come.
Editors Note:  Caleb is one of only a few Big targets who can move and catch and week in and week out we are always wowed by him.  He is on his way to good things!



Chevy Walker is a Junior at Eastside Catholic and will be one kid to watch next year. Walker is a rising kid (6′ and 180 pounds) as well and tallied up over 2,000 yards of offense last year out of his RB and Special Teams positions and is a very hard working athlete. He definitely projects to college as a football player and is accomplished in track . Chevy comes from a very hard working family; his mom Erin and his Dad Chevelle Sr. and a host of extended family are all working very hard to help Chevy and we welcome this gifted athlete to Chasing the Dream. Look for his first update next week.

Update:

Spring break was a busy time, visiting a different college campus (or two) just about every day. It was tiring, but it was also fun and educational.
First, I drove to Univ of Idaho and WSU for their Junior Days. Returned home then turned around a day later and hopped a flight to Providence, RI, with my high school teammate, Jake. In five days we traveled from Boston to Philly, visiting some of the finest schools in the country. We had private tours and coaches meetings at Harvard, Brown, Yale, Fordham, Penn and Villanova. We finished the trip by attending Junior Day at Princeton.
It was my first trip to the Northeast, and it was a thrill to walk these great campuses. We also attended a Yankees game and walked Times Square in New York. It’s a different world out there, that’s for sure. So much history. After visiting and seeing what life is like in the Northeast, I can now picture myself possibly going to school out there. I may return for some of their football camps this summer.


Josh MItchell is going to be a Senior next year at Mount Si out in Snoqualmie, Washington. We invited Josh because he brings to the series that gutsy edge that only a wrestler can bring. We salute Josh, all 6’3″ and 265 pounds of him, for just winning the 2011 State Heavy Weight Championship for the 3A WIAA Division. Josh is going to be a force at both sides of the ball and loves that Trench Warfare. He projects well as a Nose Tackle and Defensive Tackle and projects to play at a well put together 280 pounds as Summer comes and he can eat once again. Look for Josh’s first update next week and we welcome the Mitchell’s to CTD.
Update: Over my spring break I visited multiple colleges. I started off by going to Idaho’s Junior Day. I really enjoyed the opportunity to watch their scrimmage and sit down and have lunch with Defensive Line Coach Ena. Later that day I drove over to Pullman to watch WSU’s scrimmage and I got to sit down with the defensive line coach Howard. The next day I drove to Boise State, where I watched their practice and had a lot of time to meet with all of their coaching staff. It was my first time to Boise and I really enjoyed it there. I went to Washington the next day where I sat in on their defensive meetings with Coach Holt and Nansen and then I watched their practice. That night I drove down to Oregon. The next morning, I was up early to sit in on the offensive line meetings and then I watched Oregon’s practice. It is very up tempo and there is no wasted time. That afternoon, I traveled to Oregon State where I toured their facilities and watched practice. I enjoyed getting to visit with Coach Riley and Coach Cavanaugh after practice concluded. On the way out of Corvallis, we ate pizza at Woodstock Pizza on the recommendation of family friends that graduated from Oregon State. Later that week I took my ACT and concluded my spring break. I have recently been invited to USC’s, San Diego State’s, Stanford’s, Oregon State’s, TCU’s and many other schools summer camps. I will be working to determine my summer calendar in the weeks ahead.

This past weekend I flew down to Little Rock, Arkansas where I visited with my relatives and then drove to Fayetteville to attend Arkansas’s Junior Day. I got to spend a great amount of time with the coaches, toured the facilities and and watched Arkansas’s spring game. I was very impressed with their facilities and the team itself.

I’ve been talking consistently to many of the Pac-10 and other Northwest schools. Yesterday I received a hand written letter from Utah and I will be getting in touch with them soon. I am receiving letters from schools on a consistent basis and I am continuing to hear from more schools. I am looking forward to when coaches start dropping by my school over the next few weeks. I am enjoying the process of getting recruited, talking to coaches, researching schools and staying busy.

Lifting is going very well for me right now. All my numbers are starting to go up. Also, I am starting to see the physical changes, as I am currently weighing 273. Spring camp is only 42 days away and I can’t wait to be on the Gridiron again! Thanks Dirk, and here is the link to a little workout video that we filmed this week.


That is 12 kids; 6 from Oregon and 6 from Washington. Not the top recruits but very good athletes. We chose them randomly in no particular order because we wanted to be able to have a snap shot at a variety of kids and positions. In this way we hope to help all of you guys out there trying to make it to college. The stories and lessons of our CTD 12 will tell the story of recruiting and the struggle to get noticed. Everything that goes into that soup that is college recruiting will be touched upon this year.
If you are amongst our audience of readers we hope you will send us feedback and that you enjoy our series.


NEW FEATURE

Do you know someone that you want to nominate or have us do a weekly feature on? Well we are going to do a Guest Player of the Week in each article to share the story of another player from the Pacific Northwest. Therefore if you have an athlete you wish to nominate regardless of position or level of play we are looking for suggestions. Please send us any nominations you wish to make to dirkknudsen@gmail.com


Guest Player of the Week: Jordan Visarraga

Could you imagine living your life dreaming of playing football for the Washington Huskies and sharing that dream with your family?  Of course you could and many have.  But what would you do is just as that Dream was starting to become a real possibility the family you had was wiped off the face of the Earth?

What would you do then.  Well we have met the most amazing young man in Oregon.  His Name is Jordan Visarraga and you don’t have to be a football fan to appreciate this story.  All you have to be is a fan of life and the power of the human spirit.

COME READ “When Nothing But The Game Remains”

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NEW FEATURE: Highlight Video of the Week; Jordan Visarraga Willamette High School Running Back Class of 2012


I am the Founder of the Northwest Prep Report. For 17 years I have led the way to the best of my ability to promote the best talent from the Pacific NW free of charge. It is my pleasure to continue to serve High School athletes from all over the Pacific NW and beyond. Formerly with Rivals.com my sites have now crossed over 8,000 stories, 7 MILLION Video Views, and 15,000 regular followers. Together with the best football people in the USA we pursue excellence for our NW athletes.

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