Saturday, August 07, 2010
Vikings' postseason savior moves to QB
Adam Hardister, who clinched Northside's state title with a blocked kick, is now under center.
JEANNA DUERSCHERL The Roanoke Times
Northside junior Adam Hardister had only mop-up duties at quarterback last season while Ryan Keith ran the show.
KYLE GREEN The Roanoke Times
Adam Hardister blocks a field goal attempt by Bruton's Ben Arbino to clinch Northside's VHSL Group AA Division 3 title.
JEANNA DUERSCHERL The Roanoke Times
varsity.roanoke.com
Timesland on Twitter
The heat is on.
No joke. It's hot. Football players at Timesland high schools suffering through two-a-day practices have figured that out without a single school-bell ringing.
The heat is really on Adam Hardister.
The Northside junior will take over at quarterback, and not just for any team. Hardister will be at the helm of a high-profile program, the one that claimed the VHSL Group AA Division 3 championship in December.
Don't worry, Hardister is accustomed to the spotlight.
He placed himself squarely in the middle of it eight months ago when he blocked a 28-yard field goal attempt by Bruton's Ben Arbino on the final play of the state final to preserve Northside's 20-17 victory at Virginia Tech's Lane Stadium.
"It's still pretty vivid in my head. It kind of feels like it happened yesterday," Hardister said. "It's probably what I'll be remembered for the rest of my life."
Hardister easily can recall the game-saving play for another reason. He's watched a replay of it more than once.
"A billion times," he said. "The highlight films we've got, all that stuff."
Hardister vows not to make it a billion and one.
Northside's mantra entering the 2010 season is one of tunnel vision, straight ahead with no looking back.
"We're going to turn our rings into a vault, just so we're not thinking about last year," Hardister said. "Guys on other teams might come up and say, 'We're going to beat you,' and we pull out our rings and say, 'Look at this. We went all the way.' That doesn't matter anymore. It's a whole other team."
Gone are superstars such as linebacker Nick Sigmon, running back Philip Scott, offensive lineman Cameron Carter and wingback Dustin Phelps, who caught the go-ahead touchdown pass in the fourth quarter of the championship game.
Also gone is the guy who threw it, two-year starting quarterback Ryan Keith.
Keith excelled in the postseason for the Vikings, whose 12-2 season was marred only by close losses to Salem and Cave Spring.
However, Northside coach Burt Torrence isn't worried about having one of a handful of Timesland teams with a new quarterback.
"Ryan Keith did a tremendous job and had a great playoff run last year, but we just think we're not going to miss a beat," Torrence said. "There is no dropoff from where we were at the quarterback position."
Hardister proved himself last year by earning the starting job at strong-side outside linebacker where he had a knack for making big plays -- not just with his blocked field goal against Bruton.
"He did the exact same play right before halftime against Brookville," Torrence said of Northside's first-round playoff win. "He had one of those ESPN-highlight interceptions against Alleghany.
"He's a natural, quiet leader. He commands the huddle and he's going to run the offense the way we want. He's not the fastest kid in the world, but he's elusive. He understands the reads in our passing game. He understands his footwork."
Hardister saw an added value to his role as a starter on the 2009 defense.
"The guys look up to me like, 'He can do it on defense, I'd like to see what he can do with the football.' " he said.
One thing Hardister will not do, at least for now, is play both ways. His days as a linebacker are done as Torrence cannot afford an injury to his starting QB.
"I understand that," Hardister said. "We only have two quarterbacks,"
Hardister, who saw mainly mop-up duty behind center in 2009, will be a different quarterback than Keith in more ways than one.
"I'll be more of a passer in the pocket," the Northside junior said. "I like sitting in and throwing the ball.
"He was more of a 'get-on-you' type leader. If I have to get on somebody, I'll pull them to the side and talk to them."
Northside fans will notice one other difference between Hardister and Keith.
"He's not going to grow that beard that Ryan had at the end of the year," Torrence said.
The red-haired Hardister likely will never duplicate Keith's grizzly look.
"He looked like a cave-man or something," Hardister said.
Quarterback. So easy a newcomer can do it?
Not quite.
Northside will open its season at home Aug. 27 against Jefferson Forest. Hardister, who also plays baseball and basketball for the Vikings, admits he will be on edge before he takes the first snap.
"There will be a little butterflies there, but I'm going to work past it," he said.
"Sometimes not always good things are going to happen. Most people look at the quarterback when something happens. You've just got to fight through that and stay composed, and make a play the next time."
