For the Newport Knights to roll into Lake Stevens and win last Saturday night they needed a big game from their senior fullback Conner Baumann, and oh boy did young Mr. Baumann
deliver the goods. The smash mouth back gashed the Vikings defense for 449 yards on just 17 carries, good for an amazing 26.4 yards an attempt. Conner also rumbled for 6 touchdowns
on the evening. He scored on TD runs of 5, 12, 77, 83, 77 and 89 yards, flat out going to town for the Knights, in a convincing 62-35 victory over the Lake.
The 6’2″ 222 pound Senior has been mowing through defenses in the Puget Sound area for a couple years now. Last fall Baumann was a 1st team All-Kingco Crown selection. He blistered defenses
for 1338 yards and 14 touchdowns as junior. The big bopping running back is also a standout weakside defensive end/outside linebacker for the Knights defensive unit. The speedy bludgeon back has
run for 1,500 yards and 18 touchdowns this season, while missing a couple ball games with injury. All this damage on just 102 carries, good for an astonishing 14.7 yards per carry, totally annihilating
defenses all season long. Hard to find this combination of size and speed that Baumann posses, and with that has come some college offers, including both the Army and Air Force academies.
The 8-2 Knights march through the 4A playoffs continues on Saturday with a home tussle vs 8-2 Bellarmine Prep. The Knights triple option offense will have their hands full with a talented Lions ball club. The key to the Knights being able to do work offensively will ride on their stud junior offensive tackle Calvin Throckmorton, an earth moving 6’6″ 265 pounder. Halfback Paul Wells, a nifty 160 pound junior, will also need to get going on the outside for the Knights to continue on their playoff journey.
Let there be no doubt. Baumann’s game was one for the ages and will certainly leave an impression forever for those in attendance and who were on that field to see him work.