Westlake's Isham Will Be A Marked Man Against Oaks Christian
CBS -- When (2) Westlake QB Nick Isham steps onto the field tomorrow night he'll be a marked man. Westlake will visit neighboring school, Oaks Christian, for the first ever meeting between the two schools. The campuses are separated by just 0.76 miles. The Lions are fully aware of what Isham is capable of.
The Marmonte League knows all too well about the guy wearing number ten in the blue and orange. Accuracy hurts --if your're the opposition. Isham sliced Marmonte League foes a year ago to the tune of a 77 percent completion percentage during 2009 league play. 15 TD and only two INT came during that span. That was only with his arm. On the ground, he rushed for 362 yards and six TD.
In 2009, Isham put together one of the most phenomenal seasons in recent memory. By the numbers, Isham threw for 2,128 yards, 30 TD and 3 INT. He completed 74.1 percent of his passes. That completion percentage is the best ever by a Valley-area QB. He rushed for 723 yards and 13 TD, while averaging over seven yards per carry. All while leading the Warriors to a perfect 14-0 season.
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The awards followed. Isham was named Marmonte League MVP and the Northern Division Player of the Year as Westlake won the CIF Northern Division title.
But that wasn't all. Isham also started in the Warriors secondary. He actually recorded more interceptions as a DB than he threw at QB. Four total INT which was good enough for a tie of the team lead.
This season, Isham, who currently holds offers from Air Force and New Mexico State, is once again starting on both sides of the field for Westlake (3-0). A lot of coaches try to abstain from having their starting QB serve double duty, but Warriors head coach Jim Benkert needs Isham to play and play well on both sides of the ball. "We don't have the luxury to put those players on the bench" says Benkert, speaking of Isham and WR/DB Nelson Spruce.
Isham hasn't had to play on both sides of the ball much this season because Westlake has won so handily in their first three games of the season. That is almost certain to change. Tomorrow night when the Warriors make the trip down the road to visit Oaks Christian (2-1), Benkert says Isham "will have to play" on both sides of the ball against their new Marmonte League rival.
Oaks Christian head coach Bill Redell is more concerned about Isham the QB. "He's one of the best [quarterbacks] in Southern California, if not the best," says Redell. One of the coaching legends of high school football and a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, Redell, believes despite his stature, Isham (6', 190) is a high Division-I talent at the QB position. According to Redell, "he can be one of the best in the Pac-10."
For this year at least, Westlake needs Isham to once again be one of the best in the Northern Division if they're going to repeat.
