Nate Schneider
Sports Scene
Brec Alward had no idea to the extent he would be used as a workhorse for the Alma football team this fall.
After gaining around 700 yards in the backfield last season as a sophomore complement to the now-graduated Anthony Humm, Alward got a good taste of life at the varsity level.
But when the time came this season for the running back position to be handed over in full to Alward, he met the challenge head-on.
Alward completed the season with over 1,700 yards rushing in 11 games, helping the Panthers to an 8-3 record and a Division 4 district finals appearance. He also scored a total of 31 touchdowns in a variety of ways between rushing (25), receiving (3), kick returns (2) and defense (1).
The incredible season by the junior do-everything performer earns Alward the title of 2017 High School Sports Scene Division 1-4 Player of the Year.
“He’s a kid that works extremely hard in the offseason and during the season,” Panthers head coach Dan Falor said. “He’s just a great teammate. He never complains and does whatever we ask him to do. You couldn’t ask for a better player on your team.”
What Alward was asked to do from day one of the 2017 campaign was to be the featured player on the Panthers offense, which opposing defenses figured out quickly and still had an incredible amount of difficulty doing anything about it.
“I knew I’d probably be the starting running back coming into the season but I had no idea I’d be getting the ball this much,” Alward said. “It was pretty sweet knowing the coaches had so much trust in me.”
When he was a sophomore, Alward studied the work ethic of Humm at running back and also received advice from his older counterpart to attend Legacy football development camps.
Alward ended up going to camps over the summer at Yale and Harvard, which he credits majorly toward helping his game rise to the next level this year.
“The camps helped with every part of my game and really helped show me what it takes to become as good of a football player as you can possibly be,” Alward said.
A personal favorite game this season for Alward came in the D4 pre-district against Flint Powers when he torched the opposition for 235 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries.
Alward’s final touchdown of the contest came in overtime, when his 10-yard score secured a 20-14 victory over the Chargers to send Alma to a district final for a second straight season. The Panthers proceeded to lose to Escanaba in the district final, same as in 2016.
“It was a fun season,” Alward added. “I give a lot of credit to our senior offensive line for opening up holes all season and making my job easier.”