Going down in history
Editor's Note: This is the third article in a series of profiles of Sanders County' graduating athletes who will be competing in college next year.
Editor's Note: This is the third article in a series of profiles of Sanders County' graduating athletes who will be competing in college next year.
When Reiley Winebrenner first suited up for the Plains-Hot Springs Savage Horsemen as a skinny freshman the team was in the midst of their worst losing streak in co-op history.
Four years, 36 touchdowns and one playoff game later Winebrenner is preparing himself to play college football for MSU Northern in Havre and leaves the Savage Horsemen football team with memories of victories and a legacy of winning behind him.
"When you start for pretty much three years...it's hard not to leave that impression and something for others to follow," says Plains-Hot Springs Coach Seth Pettit.
From his senior year alone, Winebrenner leaves behind a lion-sized share of memories for every football fan from Hot Springs and Plains to hold onto. From his four-touchdown game against St. Ignatius to his three touchdowns in less than four minutes against Cascade, Winebrenner was a highlight reel waiting to happen. Not only did he break ground in the co-op's history books, but he left his mark in the state records as well.
He finished last year averaging 259 total offensive yards per game, good enough for third all time behind Gary Wagner and some guy named Dave Dickenson (he went on to become the most celebrated Montana Grizzly football player of all time and play in the CFL and NFL).
Besides his list of accomplishments on the gridiron, and there are many, he will always be remembered as the quarterback of the first Plains-Hot Springs team to make it to the playoffs.
"When people look back 10-15 years from now...there are certain players that stand out and he'll be remembered," says Coach Pettit.
Although Winebrenner, himself, is hesitant to talk about his own legacy playing football for the two schools, he does recognize that last year's team had an unprecedented year for the co-op.
"We were the first team to make the playoffs, the first team to beat Eureka and Thompson," says Winebrenner.
While everyone has their own special memory of last year's team, Winebrenner's own memory comes from that game against Eureka, and with good reason. It stands as the most crucial game last year in their quest to make the playoffs, and of course it was the most dramatic.
Being down most of the game the Savage Horsemen had 13 unanswered points at the end of the third quarter and the fourth quarter to narrowly beat Eureka 13-12, and Reiley remembers a defensive stand that saved the game for them.
At the end of the third quarter, Eureka had marched all the way down the field only to be stopped on the one-yard line when Carson Lilja, a junior on the team, tackled the quarterback with help from Winebrenner who was covering the all-state running back from hauling any pitch from the quarterback.
"We've been so close the year before and we finally beat them. It was pretty awesome when we finally got them," says Winebrenner.
He even got the chance recently to discuss that very play with Chad Price, Eureka's running back, at both the Class B All-Star game and the East-West Shrine Game.
Both remembered the same play and Winebrenner says Price told him in an interesting switch that while Winebrenner was thinking Price would make the play, Price was oblivious, thinking his quarterback would make the play.
It was the biggest play in the biggest game and it happened on defense, something that Winebrenner says he has always loved and will now receive his full attention.
After a year of being lauded for his play at quarterback, both with his powerful arm and fast feet, Winebrenner will now only be playing defense in college.
The coaches from MSU Northern want him at the defensive back position due to his great speed, he placed third at the state meet in 300 m hurdles, and his good size, 6'2" 185 lb.
They liked him so much they offered him $4,000 a year to attend school there, a sum basically covering his full tuition.
The scholarhsip was given to Winebrenner for his particular set of skills. Coach Pettit labels Winebrenner "an athlete," meaning a player who can fit into multiple positions in the field and make plays.
"We can use this guy anywhere we want," says Coach Pettit talking from the perspective of college coaches.
Besides his athletic prowess, playing defense requires another quality according to Winebrenner. He calls it being crazy.
"Defensive is just a bunch of crazy guys, it's pretty intense," says Winebrenner, and although he denies being one of those guys many people who have seen him playing football would vehemently proclaim that Winebrenner is about as intense as they come.
"Reiley is definitely that guy that can give you that spark plug," says Coach Pettit.