Jason Stevens and Duncan Hoover: Leading the pack
SAHUARITA, Ariz. — Quarterback Jason Stevens and wide receiver Duncan Hoover are the seniors leading the Red Wolves of Walden Grove High School on and off the field. Even though they have yet to achieve championship success, they have both displayed why they are the backbones of this team.
The Red Wolves made it to the playoffs in three of the last four seasons, missing out entirely this year despite wide receiver Hoover’s dramatic jump in level of performance.
The 17-year-old who stands at 6-foot-4 started for the Red Wolves this year and made good use of the great catch radius that he possesses. Hoover is undoubtedly special when the ball is in the air. Hoover hopes to stand out to college coaches after not playing much in his freshman and sophomore years, pushing for a Division I college opportunity.
“I can always get better no matter what,” he said. “No matter what level, I think anyone can get better and the moment I’m not where I want to be I want to be better always and I think I’m working on it.”
According to Hoover’s coach, Corey Noble, his jump in performance is cause for excitement.
“He found another gear,” Coach Noble said. “He’s one of the strongest guys on the team now.”
It’s not just his performances that caught everyone’s attention, but the increase in size after he spent the offseason training with Cam Gaddis and former Arizona Wildcats receiver Kyle Day.
Hoover and Stevens developed a telepathic connection with each other on the field with Stevens having found Hoover for multiple yards and touchdowns.
Stevens himself has been influential to the growth of the Red Wolves as a team ever since he burst onto the scene in his sophomore season. Stevens did not always play quarterback. He started as a center because he was one of the tallest players on his youth team. It was his second youth team coach that moved him to the quarterback position.
“The coach told me I’m playing quarterback and that was it and I fell in love with playing quarterback,” he said.
Stevens had a standout year in his sophomore season.
“He burst onto the scene as a sophomore and surprised a lot of people,” Coach Noble said. He went on to describe him as someone whose charisma and maturity make him easy to coach.
“He’s got a really good personality for a quarterback,” Noble added.
The Red Wolves had high expectations for this year, especially with Stevens and Hoover at the wheel, but they failed to deliver. However, they did have a standout year statistically that will have college coaches looking in their direction. The Red Wolves, on the other hand, will have the tough task of making a return to the playoffs in the hope of championship glory.
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