Elijah Andersen admits he usually doesn’t hear the sounds around him in a football game — the crunches of tackles being made or crowd roars after a play.
What he feels, however, is his speed getting faster down field if a ball is in his hands.
That’s one of the major differences the Woodland High junior says has made him a better football player for the Beavers, in addition to all the positions he’s played in a game through six weeks in 2023.
“OK, here we go,” Andersen said, getting ready to list off the positions he plays. “Safety, then running back, quarterback, receiver (both slot and wideout), kick return and punt return.
“I think that’s all.”
There could be more at some point. Earlier this week, he casually asked Woodland head coach Sean McDonald about playing defensive end. Why would Andersen want to add another to an already-packed list?
“It sounded kind of fun,” he said.
If anyone could do it, it’s Andersen. That’s because based on the play call or package, Andersen can be anywhere and everywhere for Woodland, and that’s just fine with him.
It’s worked well for the Beavers (4-2 overall, 3-1 2A Greater St. Helens League), who are in a three-way tie atop the chaos-filled 2A GSHL entering the final stretch of league play and host Hudson’s Bay at 7 p.m. Friday.
In fact, Woodland kicked off the craziness with its 33-28 upset win over defending league champion Washougal. That game, Andersen put everyone on notice he’s no longer thought of as just a running back, a position he earned all-league honors for in 2022. In addition to 31 carries, he also had four catches for 181 yards.
Because he’s on offense, defense and special teams each game, Andersen rarely, if ever, leaves the field. Earlier this season against La Center, he played five positions not including special teams.
“My coach is really smart,’’ Andersen said of McDonald. “He knows that he trusts me a lot to get involved. … I love it. It’s so fun to be able to run the ball, and then after that play, go catch it. I can never get bored. I’m always doing something new.”
Through six games, Andersen has 18 touchdowns, and 1,310 yards from scrimmage, including two games with triple-digit totals in both rushing and receiving yards. He also recorded a season-best 12 solo tackles at safety against Columbia River.
Andersen is convinced a lot of this wouldn’t have happened had he not decided to turn out for track and field at Woodland last spring to work on sprinting for the upcoming football season.
He clocked a personal-best 11.82 seconds at 100 meters last spring and continues to work on his speed through private coaching. He noted his first- and second-level speed is a difference-maker in football; he’s already had a 61-yard run and an 84-yard reception this season — both career highs for yardage.
“It’s crazy, just with the speed,” Andersen said. “Last year, I had no breakout yards. … Then I watch film of last year, and I think, ‘How did I do anything with that speed?’ ”
McDonald came to Woodland in 2022 after seven years coaching at Kalama, leading the Chinooks to Class 2B titles in 2017, 2018 and 2021.
McDonald said what separates a player like Andersen is a lot of things, but it starts with his vision.
“He’s just a long, lanky athlete, and he’s got explosive tendencies,” the coach said, “but his vision is the biggest thing when he’s on the field. He just sees it differently than others do.”
McDonald said Andersen, at 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds, entered the 2023 season noticeably stronger and faster. It allowed McDonald and his staff to move Andersen around the field and not be one-sided.
His play is a big reason why the Beavers are in the position they are entering the final stretch of the regular season.
Hudson’s Bay, Woodland and Ridgefield are tied atop the league at 3-1 and another three teams — Columbia River, Hockinson and Washougal are at 2-2. Andersen said he and his teammates are getting a kick out of the league’s logjam, but also know why it’s important to carry a league championship mentality each week.
“It’s very fun to be a part of it,” he said. “Anybody can win.”
Andersen doesn’t need a reminder for how long it’s been since Woodland last hosted a Week 10 state preliminary round game — 2014 — but a win Friday can help Woodland take another step in making that happen. The top two 2A GSHL finishers host Week 10 games and the Beavers are believers.
“We talk about that a lot,” he said. “Especially with the group of guys we have, it’s really fun to play with these guys. And the success we’re having makes this even so much more fun.”
