Andrean sophomore Ethan Reyna is his own player, and a rare one at that.
But it’s not much of a leap to view the 6-foot-1, 210-pound linebacker/running back as a worthy successor to Drayk Bowen, a Notre Dame linebacker who became the Region’s first Mr. Football winner with the 59ers in 2022.
“He has a motivation and a drive that is next-level, and when I say ‘next-level,’ I mean of the caliber you would expect of a collegiate athlete,” Andrean coach Chris Skinner said of Reyna. “I can say that, having coached kids that have played at the highest levels in college. That’s pretty cool to see out of a sophomore.
“I don’t want to make a comparison to Drayk as a football player because they are different players. But that was the intensity and the dedication we saw from Drayk when he was young. It was like, ‘Oh, wow, this kid could be special.’ And Ethan does a lot of that.”
Reyna didn’t hesitate to describe Bowen as a role model.
“We play for the same team, we play the same positions, so he’s definitely a character I look up to,” Reyna said.
Reyna stands out in everything he does.
“You can see how much film people watch on Hudl, and every week, he has one of the highest times,” Skinner said. “So it’s not just what he’s doing in the weight room or on the practice field. He’s studying. He’s watching film away from the field.
“When he’s in the weight room, he’s intense and focused. When he’s on the practice field, everything is a hundred miles per hour. He just does everything at maximal effort. That’s what you want out of players that are talented.”
Reyna has already received offers from Toledo and Miami of Ohio. He has visited schools such as Michigan and Wisconsin.
“He has goals of playing college football, and he’s willing to put in the work,” Skinner said. “That’s good to see because a lot of people say they want to play college football, but then going above and beyond to be the elite 1% that get to (do that), that’s different — and he’s shown he’s willing to put in all of that extra work.”
That extra work is paying dividends for Reyna, who leads Andrean with 81 tackles, including seven for loss and three sacks. But he shares the credit for his success.
“It’s helping my team,” he said. “That’s all that really matters. The whole team has been doing their part, and I’ve been doing my part.”
As the 59ers prepare to play Whiting in the first round of a Class 2A sectional, Reyna has taken on an increased role on offense. He has shifted from a wingback/tight end position to tailback.
Reyna had eight carries for 80 yards through the first seven games and then rushed 21 times for 83 yards in the 59ers’ win against Hanover Central on Oct. 11. He followed that up with 16 carries for 75 yards in the 59ers’ win against Lowell last week.
“We had some injuries at that position, and he is a physical, downhill runner,” Skinner said. “So as a staff, at some point if we’re fortunate enough to be playing, the weather is going to turn, it’s going to get colder, you’re going to have to be able to pound the rock. In high school football, you have to be able to run the ball if you want to make a run.
“So we were like, ‘Well, he knows the offense because he’s been playing wing.’ Now he’s getting those carries. We knew he’d run hard and study the playbook and do everything. So that’s why we decided to make the move.”
Reyna, who has a team-high 238 rushing yards and a touchdown, has welcomed the opportunity to give more to the 59ers.
“It’s just getting ready for the playoffs,” he said. “They’ve put me in that position to help us have success in the playoffs.
“My body’s been a little bit more sore from week to week. But really it’s fine. It’s pretty fun getting the ball, but it’s just what the team needs, doing what my team needs.”
Andrean missed Reyna for about half of last season, when he had 34 tackles in five games. He suffered a hamstring injury in Week 4 and was sidelined for five games. He returned for the 59ers’ sectional opener against LaVille but reinjured the hamstring.
Senior defensive back/wide receiver Jimmy Finley, a Northern Illinois recruit, noticed Reyna’s absence last season. Finley thinks the sky is the limit for Reyna.
“When he got hurt last year, it was a loss to us,” Finley said. “But he was one of those freshmen, you could tell he was going to get way better, he was going to continue to improve. I see him put in the work every day. He stays after practice and works on his craft. He works hard in the classroom — he’s focused in, and I get that. He’s just a tremendously hard worker overall.
“When I’m gone, I know I’m going to come back and see him, and his senior year, he’s going to be top dog. He’s going to be one of the best players in the nation. I’m going to keep a close eye on him. I can see him having a great, successful career in football.”
