His name says it all.
Tyler Threat is listed on the roster as a 6-foot, 180-pound senior wide receiver and defensive back, but he’s actually much more than that for Waubonsie Valley.
Much, much more.
“Athlete, running back,” Warriors coach Tom Baumgartner said. “He just does it all.”
Threat lived up to his last name and then some Friday night in the second half of his team’s season-opening 28-7 victory over visiting Oswego East in Aurora.
After catching three passes for 33 yards and being thrown for a 3-yard loss on his only rushing attempt in a penalty-filled first half, Threat settled in at running back for the Warriors (1-0) and rocked the Wolves (0-1).
Threat delivered with nine carries for 186 yards and three touchdowns. It helped Waubonsie get rid of the taste of a winless 2022 season, according to senior quarterback Luke Elsea.
“The seniors coming back most definitely have a chip on their shoulder,” Elsea said.
A three-year varsity starter, Elsea completed 13 of 17 passes for 133 yards with one interception.
“It feels really good after a long year last year — a long year,” Baumgartner said. “I can’t wait to get ready for next week.”
The same goes for Threat, who led the team last season with 22 receptions for 357 yards while rushing for 141 yards.
“I feel like I could play any position coach wants me to play and I could contribute,” Threat said. “It feels good, but this isn’t our goal. We’re trying to make the playoffs.
“This is just one step in the right direction, and we’re going to keep going.”
Six penalties apiece limited each team to three possessions in the first half.
Elsea was intercepted in the second quarter by Oswego East’s Dawson McCullum on a ball tipped by Jerome Jackson, and the Warriors closed the half with kicker Aiden Manion coming up short on a 35-yard field goal attempt.
Baumgartner credited first-year offensive coordinator Ryan Voitik with the second-half turnaround that opened with Threat bolting 33 yards on the first play.
Threat then capped a five-play drive with a 10-yard TD. Manion followed with a high, knuckling kickoff that was recovered by Waubonsie at the Wolves’ 22.
“Those first four minutes of the third quarter are so huge,” Baumgartner said. “We get that drive and score, then we recover the accidental pooch kick that was not on purpose.
“We got lucky there. The kids hustled and made a play.”
Sophomore running back Jasiah Watson, who finished with 13 carries for 107 yards, got untracked after that for Oswego East.
A slashing runner, he accounted for 61 yards of an 80-yard scoring drive, closing it out with a 5-yard TD.
“They march down on us and put one in,” said Voitik, who has been with the program since 2015 but was the sophomore head coach the past six seasons. “It was a one-score game at that point.”
Threat, though, had the answer, going 72 yards for a TD following the kickoff.
“I saw the hole open up and was patient, made a few cuts and just hit the alley where my blocking was,” Threat said. “(Receiver) Brady (Teeple) made a good block on the outside.
“I just cut in and scored. That was all blocking.”
Waubonsie’s line features junior tackles Patrick Cassidy and Stefan Popov, junior guards Max Kallio and Cortnelious Humphries and senior center Charlie Drohan.
“We have dogs all over the place,” Elsea said. “Everyone is going to prove themselves this year.”
Threat culminated the scoring with a 25-yard TD run with 5:54 remaining, leaving defenders grasping for air with a pair of shifty moves of his own.
“He’s a special player,” Voitik said of Threat. “He’s explosive. He can pop anything at any time. He answered the call (Friday night).”
