Player to Watch: Will Taylor

Through countless suicide sprints, jumping jacks, and weight lifting, cornerback and receiver Will Taylor (’14) is an elite athlete. However, there is one factor even more important than physical training that brings Taylor to the top.Before every game, Taylor sets a goal not only to make powerful plays and win the game, but to also represent Samo in a good light.“By the end of the game I want to make my parents, coaches and friends proud,” Taylor said.Samo football finished undefeated in Ocean League last year and ended the season with an overall record of 7-3. Taylor has already started to show Samo what he can do to help the team repeat what the they did last year. At Redondo’s game on Sept. 10, one of Taylor’s plays led Samo to victory, according to Coach Travis Clark. He also led the team's victory against Palisades High School on Sept. 18, 44-15.“He caught an interception and it was like the field caught fire,” running back Kwame Duggins (‘14) said. “He’s always telling us to make big plays and when he made the first play of the game [the team] got excited.”A lot of the team’s success last year came from receiver Sebastian LaRue (’13), who was an inspiration for Taylor throughout his years.“[LaRue] was always giving me pointers. I was watching how he got off the line, how he caught the ball and how he secured it into his chest. He’s a big part of why I play like I do now,” Taylor said.Last year, the team was more focused on the passing game, but this year Taylor and Clark both agree that the offense will be more balanced between a passing game and a running game. To contribute in all aspects in the game, Taylor, presently a slot receiver, occasionally helps in the running game as he played running back for three years prior.“We’re going to take what the defense gives us. If they’re stopping our run, we have a passing game and if they’re stopping our passing game we definitely have a running game,” Taylor said. “We can pick and choose what we want to do.”Though the team lost 20 seniors going into this year, Taylor and a few of the other current seniors have stepped up and helped these younger players come together.“There’s just a lot of young guys trying to learn how we play football,” Clark said. “[Taylor] acts as a leader on and off the field.”Taylor takes the younger kids as his responsibility and strives to help them constantly improve given his leadership role on the team.“I have to set an example for [the younger guys] and show them how to play and how coach wants them to play,” Taylor said. “I have to do my part.”srietta@thesamohi.com