Silas Perreiah runs rampant in Northwest Christian’s win over Wilbur-Creston

Anytime a potential Division I talent takes the field or court in a high school game it’s noticeable. When it happens at the B level, it’s even more special.

At Northwest Christian, Silas Perreiah has been running around, through and over people his entire high school career. And folks are noticing.

Listed at 5-foot-10 and a solid 210 pounds, the senior running back plays bigger than that. Once he breaks through the line of scrimmage – which is seemingly on every play – he has the giddy-up to leave defensive backs in his dust.

On Friday afternoon, Perreiah’s successful senior season continued. He carried 19 times for 372 yards with five touchdowns and the Crusaders pulled away from Wilbur-Creston 44-12 in the first varsity home game in program history.

NWC’s field doesn’t have lights, or much in the way of seating, so the Crusaders play all of their games away from home.

“My AD came to me early in the summer and said, ‘Hey, we’re changing the Wilbur-Creston game and looking at doing a home game,’ ” NWC coach Brian Gardner said.

“I thought it’d be great for the kids, great for the students because we’re always on the road no matter what.”

Turns out it was pretty good for his hard-working tailback, too.

Perreiah’s first two carries against the Wildcats were 35 yards and 62 yards – both for touchdowns. He added scoring runs of 65, 13 and 95 yards.

He had five touchdown carries last week in a 49-14 win over Davenport. The week prior, he went for 455 yards with six TDs in a nonleague win over Oroville.

“He’s such a hard worker and runs so strong,” Gardner said. “We try to give him a little breather here and there. He actually had the flu last night.

“We didn’t know how he was going to recoup today. We knew he was tough. We knew he was going to be ready to go.”

Perreiah was honest about how he felt after the game.

“Yes sir, I’m tired.”

He has a walk-on offer at Eastern Washington, an offer from Whitworth and a few D-III prospects, but he’s taking a wait-and-see approach on the future.

“I really like Eastern. I like the running back coaches there. We’ll see in the next few months what happens.”

Gardner would like to see him playing in Cheney.

“Hopefully, people just give him a chance,” he said. “He’d love more than anything to be an Eagle. … I was an Eag. I’d love to see him out on the red turf.”

Perreiah said folks on social media have been speculating where he might continue his football career for two years.

“It’s kind of weird,” he said. “I don’t even know these people and they have my name on their tweets.

“It’s cool, I guess. But I don’t dwell on it or anything.”

Perreiah knows he still unfinished business at this level.

Next week is a big league game against Chewelah and then crossover playoffs against the Northeast 2B South Division. But Perreiah said he has on more goal to go in his high school career.

“The state championship. It’s our focus right now. Obviously, we’ve got to win to get the No. 1 seed in our division, but then make a deep run and win at state.”

Gardner knows it’s a luxury to have a player his talented at the 2B classification.

“We’re very fortunate to have him,” Gardner said. “We love him.

“Kids like this, they don’t come around too often.”