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Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009

Merced College's Beavers didn't let high school daze lead him astray

Eddie Beavers still looks back on last summer with a mixture of embarrassment and disbelief.

The Merced College freshman wide receiver's life appeared to be spiraling out of control and he had no idea how to pull out of it.

"I didn't take school very seriously my last semester at Merced High and before I knew it, I failed," Beavers said. "It was hard not graduating with everyone else.

"I got real down on myself. I started thinking, 'I didn't graduate high school. How am I going to get a job? How am I going to do anything?'

"It wasn't until my aunt told me that this was one of life's stepping stones that I started to come out of it."

Beavers wasn't certain how long it would take to rectify the situation, but he did know he wanted to continue playing football.

Knowing he had a lot of work to make up, Beavers enrolled in summer school.

"I took an independent class and managed to pass it to get eligible again," Beavers said. "This is a chance to get my life back on track, so I'm also taking an independent study class while I'm enrolled at Merced College."

Beavers' efforts impressed first-year MC head football coach Mark Kaanapu. For a man who believes the student in student-athlete takes precedence, the freshman's new dedication to his academics fit right in with the system Kaanapu was trying to establish.

"Before I knew any of what was going on with Eddie, I sat down and met with every kid," Kannapu said. "I told them that from this point forward, what they did as students, athletes and members of the community was going to define how I saw them.

"Eddie took all the steps to get himself ready to play on his own. He didn't need us to come in and take care of it for him, and I respected that."

Beavers' work ethic off of the field has matched his efforts on it.

Surrounded by many of the same players whose talents overshadowed his at Merced High, Beavers has flourished in his first season with the Blue Devils.

The guy they call "Pree" has become quarterback Brendan Crawford's favorite target. His team-leading 35 catches more than double the total of MC's second-leading receiver Kyle McMillin, and tie him for 13th in the state. Beavers also has a team-high 327 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

"When I was in high school, I saw the numbers that Carter Todd and Carlos Acosta put up and I thought I could do that," Beavers said. "Obviously it didn't work out during my senior year, but I kept working. Over the summer I got a little faster, stronger and I'm catching balls that I might have dropped a year ago."

Kaanapu said the 6-foot, 185-pound receiver possesses all the physical tools, but it's the intangibles that set him apart from the rest.

"The one thing I quickly discovered about Eddie is if the ball is in the air, he believes it's his," Kaanapu said. "You can't teach that.

"He's a very versatile guy. He can turn a wide receiver screen into a big play or go over the middle and make a tough catch in traffic.

"And he helps our team in a lot of other meaningful ways. He returns kicks. He's our holder on extra points. There's a lot of little things that four-year coaches are going to have to look at with him."

Beavers said he patterned his approach after watching the way Randy Moss attacked the football. He may have the opportunity to emulate his idols' big performance against the Titans last week when the Blue Devils travel to Aptos tonight for a Golden Gate Conference clash with Cabrillo College (0-1 GGC, 3-3). Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

The Seahawks have surrendered over 1,100 yards through the air and 10 passing touchdowns in six games.

"Cabrillo is probably the hardest playing team we've seen to date," Kaanapu said. "They've lost a couple close games to some good teams, but they play tough for all four quarters.

"It's something our guys have to be prepared for."

Cabrillo is led by running back Byron Newman (393 rushing yards and seven touchdowns) and versatile quarterback Ian McGinnis, who has almost 1,000 total yards on the season.

The Seahawks' defense has applied steady pressure this season, recording 21 sacks and forcing 20 turnovers. The defensive unit is led by Anthony Bendana's team-high 59 tackles and four interceptions.

"This is a good test for us," Kaanapu said. "It's a night game on the road against a disciplined, well-coached football team. We're going to need to continue to get better as a team if we're going to win."