Meet WACO junior Colton Leichty, The Hawk Eye's high school athlete of the week
Great players make big plays in clutch situations.
That is the old adage in sports, and it applies perfectly to WACO High School junior Colton Leichty.
In the Warriors' biggest game of the season so far, Leichty stepped up his game and helped WACO earn a spot in the 8-player state championship football game.
Third-ranked WACO (13-0) plays top-ranked Remsen St. Mary's (12-0) at 9:30 a.m. Thursday at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls for a state championship.
If not for Leichty's heroics, the Warriors might be sitting in math class instead of playing for a state championship.
Leichty, a 6-foot-3, 196-pound linebacker, came up with 12 1/2 tackles -- 8 solo -- 5 1/2 tackles for loss, 4 1/2 quarterback sacks and blocked a punt which led to a field goal in WACO's 29-21 come-from-behind win over fourth-ranked Newell-Fonda last week in the semifinals.
For the season, Leichty has 85 1/2 tackles -- 58 solo -- 16 1/2 sacks and 25 1/2 tackles for loss. He also has intercepted a pass and recovered three fumbles.
No matter what happened in the state championship game, Leichty forever will be remembered for stepped into the spotlight in the Warriors' semifinal victory which secured the school's first-ever state championship game appearance in any sport.
The Hawk Eye recently caught up with Leichty, The Hawk Eye's High School Athlete of the Week, to learn a little more about him.
What is your favorite sport besides football?
"Basketball."
What is it that you like about football?
"I get to run around and hit people."
What is your best memory in football?
"Winning the semifinals."
How do you and your teammates make practice fun?
"We all love football and are friends. We play hard and after each play we just laugh at each other and make jokes."
Do you have any pregame or gameday routines and what are they?
"I listen to Eminem and rock out every gameday. Our whole team says the Lord’s prayer and drink pickle juice pregame."
Who is the funniest person on the team?
"Louden Huisenga or Jonathan Heather."
Who is your biggest role model and why?
"I don’t really have a role model. I would just look up to upperclassmen or the coaches."
What is your favorite subject in school and why?
"Science, I like to know the reasoning behind everything and how it works."
What is your favorite meal?
"Besides just having a big bowl of ice cream, I’d go with Smoked Brisket, smoked Mac n Cheese, and party potatoes."
What is your favorite TV show?
"The Flash."
If you won the lottery, what would your first purchase be and why?
"I would buy a new vehicle."
What do you enjoy doing in your free time and why?
"Hanging out with friends and playing Clash of Clans."
What is your favorite motivational slogan or quote?
"Be the player their coach warned them about."
What are your future plans for college and career?
"I plan on going to college to study engineering or accounting."
What is something about yourself that would surprise people?
"I play the cello."
Matt Levins is a sports reporter for the USA Today Network in Burlington, Iowa, who has covered local sports for 32 years at The Hawk Eye. Reach him at mlevins@thehawkeye.com.
This article originally appeared on The Hawk Eye: Meet WACO junior Colton Leichty, the high school athlete of the week
