Senior 6-foot-3, 250-pound defensive end Zac Erickson (98) fights through a Chelsea blocker in the Jaguars 31-3 victory over the previously unbeaten Hornets.By Rubin E. Grant
Zach Erickson is glad he listened to his friends.
Erickson played football up until the sixth grade but quit to focus on track and basketball.
He has become one of the top throwers in the state for Spain Park, finishing third in the discus in the Class 7A state outdoor meet in May. He also competed in the shot put and javelin.
As he headed into his senior year this year, Erickson figured he would return to the gridiron.
“Some of my friends told me I should play, so I decided to play,” Erickson said. “I’m having a great time.”
A 6-foot-3, 250-pound defensive end, Erickson has emerged as a playmaker on the Jaguars’ defense.
Two weeks ago, he had his best game of the season, recording three sacks and four tackles, including one for a loss, in Spain Park’s 42-7 victory at Pelham.
“When the season started, I was pretty nervous after not playing for so long,” Erickson said. “The game is a lot different at this level because the people are bigger, they actually run plays and give you things to think about.
“As the season has gone along, I’ve actually gotten more accustomed to playing at this level and becoming more confident in the skills I have worked on. The coaches have been amazing in showing me what to do. I credit the coaches for picking the right plays that allowed me to make plays.”
Last Friday, Erickson was in on a few tackles as Spain Park (7-0, 4-0) rolled to a 31-3 victory against previously unbeaten Chelsea (6-1, 3-1) in a Class 6A, Region 3 game.
“He’s very athletic,” Spain Park coach Tim Vakakes said. “If he had been out here for three years, he’d be a high (NCAA) Division I, Power 5 conference prospect.
“He’s worked his butt off and learned how to play football at this level on the run. He’s getting more comfortable every game and he’s coachable. He does what the coaches ask him to do.”
Erickson wouldn’t have any qualms about playing college football, but he might just focus on academics. He has a 4.39 grade-point average and scored 32 on the ACT.
“I’m totally open to football and track in college,” he said. “But I’ve got the kind of grades that would allow me to go to school for education.
“I’ll weigh my options. I’m thinking about going into the field of engineering ‘cause I like building stuff.”
Growing up, he was big into Legos. “I’ve got a ton of Legos in the attic.”
Meanwhile, Erickson is enjoying his one season of high school football and trying to help the Jags stay unbeaten. Spain Park will continue that quest Friday when it hosts Calera (3-4, 2-2) in another region game.
“It’s been an amazing season,” Erickson said. “I’m lucky to be a part of this team. I love all the guys on the team. Coach Vakakes is always telling us to not only play with each other but play for each other, and that’s what we’ve been doing.”
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