Profile: Huron QB Tyson Edmondson helping guide River Rats in new direction
By Charles Post / WLAA
The Huron High School football team snapped their 39-game losing streak with a win over Ecorse on Friday, Aug. 30. The losing streak stretched over five years.
And when the clock finally ticked down to the end, with the River Rats leading 63-14, there was a huge weight lifted off all of the Huron coaches and players.
Junior quarterback Tyson Edmondson, who was starting his first game on varsity, helped lead the team to the victory. What a way to begin your season as the guy behind center.
“Before the game, coach Mario, our defensive coach, gave one of the most inspirational speeches I have ever heard before a game. In the locker room, we were just all hyped up and ready to go. He got us going,” Edmondson said. “During the game, our defense played very well. They had three interceptions and they only allowed two first downs during the game.
“Our offense converted what the defense got us. It was so much fun.”
The RIver Rats jumped out to a 50-6 lead by halftime and never looked back, scoring 63 points, behind two touchdown passes from Edmondson and four rushing scores from junior running back Aaron Winston.
Edmondson connected on touchdown scores of 20 yards and 33 yards, as well as an impressive 64-yard pass play that got Huron into the red zone.
The River Rats went through a coaching change following last season as they brought in Antaiwn Mack to take over the program. The new coach quickly gained the respect of returning players and newcomers to the team.
“This is my first year on varsity, but I played JV my freshman and sophomore year,” Edmondson said. “We got new coaches so I think that changed the program a lot. They really know the game and have a lot of knowledge and they put that into us. For me, individually, it meant a lot. It was my first varsity game and it was just so much fun. We just want to focus on improving every game and not worry about anything else.”
Edmondson has been playing sports, mainly basketball and football, ever since he was a kid/
“I have two brothers, one older and one younger,” he said. “My older brother kind of introduced me to sports and I carried that into my younger brother. My family has always been involved in sports. My dad played overseas basketball and my mom played tennis and volleyball. So I just really always had a love for sports.”
Following Huron’s win over Ecorse, they lost 28-6 at Flint Kearsley. It wasn’t the outcome the River Rats wanted going in, but Edmondson explained that there was a lot they could learn from the loss. He said the team now realizes that they can be beat by anyone and can beat anyone.
Edmondson pointed to working hard, staying together as a team, and doing whatever coach asks, as the keys to winning going forward. Huron will face Jackson on Friday, Sept. 13.
The three games following that will be against Saline, Bedore, and rival Pioneer.
Edmondson, who plays guard on the varsity basketball team, also touched on the challenges and rewards of playing two sports.
“Being a two-sport athlete is pretty difficult,” he says. “Right after I finish football, it’s time for basketball training. I don’t really get that much rest but it’s worth it because I love sports. I hope I can play both (in college). That would be an honor, but I’m not sure what I’m going to do yet. I just really love sports because it’s playing a game with my team, my brothers.”
