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Breck, led by 6-5 quarterback, matches win total of last season in first three games

By NATE GOTLIEB, Special to the Star Tribune, 09/23/17, 3:52PM CDT

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DAvid Roddy, a 6-5, 250-pound junior, gives his Breck teammates a lot of confidence.


Breck quarterback David Roddy.

David Roddy’s Breck teammates use phrases like “made in a lab” to describe their 6-5, 250-pound quarterback.

“He’s a very athletic Ben Roethlisberger,” wide receiver Ethan Guell said.

Roddy used that powerful build and strong arm to help the Mustangs to a 3-0 start heading into a matchup this past Friday with Minneapolis North. The junior quarterback had thrown for 840 yards and 11 touchdowns in those three games, helping Breck surpass its victory total from last season.

“The confidence level is through the roof,” Roddy said. “The chemistry is there, so we can show up to games and we know what we can do. We believe we can win every single game that we play.”

It’s a mind-set that’s taken several years to cultivate. Roddy began his tenure as Breck’s quarterback in ninth grade in the midst of a 3-7 season. The team went 2-7 last season with a squad led largely by sophomores.

Players took the offseason more seriously this year, said Roddy’s brother, Josh, a senior wide receiver. Coach Jon Martin also attributes the team’s success to the fact that the players are bigger, smarter, stronger and faster.

“They’re not sophomores playing against seniors anymore,” he said.

David Roddy has been at the center of that turnaround, Martin said, helping instill a competitive nature and calmness into the group. In the team’s season-opener, Roddy helped Breck respond to an early Columbia Heights touchdown with a score of its own. The drive included a third-down completion for Roddy with two defenders draped on him.

“The kids have so much confidence that he’ll make a play that they don’t panic,” Martin said. “That’s different than in the past years.”

Roddy’s teammates appear to share the sentiment. Guell noted Roddy’s strong arm and ability to extend plays with his legs, while offensive lineman Isaac Luten noted Roddy’s ability to bail out the offensive line and brush off tackles. Others highlighted his athleticism and running ability.

“It just doesn’t make sense how he can move,” running back Elijah Zackery said. “People that we play, especially in the secondary, are afraid to tackle him. You’ll see him run at them and they’ll kind of like hesitate to go.”

Roddy is the youngest of four boys in a family of athletes. His dad wrestled, played football and ran track, while his mom was a runner and skier, he said.

His oldest brother played college basketball at several lower-profile schools, while Josh, the third of the four boys, plays basketball for Breck as well.

Roddy also plays basketball and has garnered arguably more acclaim as a basketball player. He’s received Division I offers from Northern Iowa and North Dakota and plays on the same Howard Pulley AAU team as prep stars Tre Jones and Daniel Oturu. He also competes on Breck’s track and field team and finished seventh at the Class 1A state meet in the shot put this year.

“If he’s not careful, he’s going to get some track offers, too,” Martin said jokingly.

Roddy was mum on which sport he could see himself playing after high school.

“I can’t really make that decision right quick,” he said. “I’m just trying to have as much fun as I can, trying to keep my options open.”

For now, his focus is on football. His team averaged more than 35 points a game through three games and was ranked eighth in last week’s Associated Press Class 3A poll. He and his teammates appear to have the confidence that they could beat anyone.

“There’s a lot more to come for us,” Roddy said. “I believe we’re one of the top teams in state. … I believe we can compete with anybody and just watch out for us.”

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