Prep Star Recounts Important Lesson

When last sighted in Spokane, Gary Peterson was stuffing the middle as Inglemoor was stuffing Gonzaga Prep on its way to the 1993 Kingbowl.

It appeared the junior linebacker was on his way to the big things.

Then he learned a lesson in the classroom - a hard lesson.

Now, after he plays in the East-West All-Star summer Classic at Albi Stadium on Friday night, Peterson will head to Walla Walla Community College.

“I wanted to go D-I but I didn’t have the grades,” Peterson said during a practice with the West team at Gonzaga University. “I didn’t concentrate. If I had it to do over again, I would. So says everyone. My senior year, it was too little too late.”

The 6-foot-1, 230-pounder with speed and quickness has all the tools to play at a higher level. That was obvious during his junior year when the Vikings beat Prep 20-7 in the State AAA semifinals at Albi Stadium.

But the missed - hopefully just postponed - opportunity is no one’s fault but his own and he hopes others will learn from his mistake.

“I went through a phase where I was mad all the time,” Peterson said. “I realized, damn, I messed this up. Going to a community college gives me a second chance. I’m not going to mess up. I’m going to concentrate on the books. You’ve got to work as hard on the field as well as off.”

He worked very hard off the field, but it was in the weight room, motivated by a trip to the Kingbowl. Until the realization his grades were inadequate, Peterson only had one regret.

“It was a great experience playing in the Kingbowl,” he said. “Every player dreams about it but not every high school player gets to do that. I just wish we would have won.

“Everyone was more nervous. It was a big game. We were amazed at the size of the Kingdome, amazed to be there. We were just overwhelmed.

“It made me want to work hard, it motivated me to get up and work with the weights.”

The Vikings lost that game 33-7 to Tumwater.

Hopes of returning were foiled by inexperience last fall.

Next came a return to Spokane, where he was born and stayed until moving to Bothell when he was 12. He is looking to Friday’s 7:30 game.

“I was hoping I would make it,” he said. “It’s a great honor, everyone here is good. It gets all the best players in the state. You get to see how good you really are.”

Football is Peterson’s only sport and linebacker is the only position he likes to play.

“It gives you a chance to release anger, a chance to hit someone hard and not get in trouble,” he said. “I like to hit. I grew up on it.”

Peterson came to the West squad with the reputation as a headhunter and when asked if he lived up to it, coach Bruce Rick smiled and said, “He’s around the ball every snap.”

Quick kicks

Charlie Innune of Mount Si, an assistant with the West team, was a player in the East-West game. Other members of the West staff for head coach Rick of Kent-Meridian are Kevin Thomas, a K-M assistant, Bill Heglar of East Lake and Mike Hagadone of Sumner… .

At the Hall of Fame luncheon, Bud Namek, former sports anchor at KXLYTV, received the Silver Helmet award, which goes to a member of the media for contributions to high school football. Namek started the Friday Night Sports Extra show, a half-hour of area high school football highlights. Mike Dunn, a photographer from Everett, was given the Golden Helmet award for volunteers who have served high school football. Dunn, among his many activities, was the official photographer for this game over the last 14 years in Everett… .

Tickets for the game are $6 for adults and $4 for students and are available at the gate or G&B Select-A-Seat. G&B also has a family ticket for $10, which is good for two adults and two students… .

, DataTimes