A senior quarterback for a rising football program, he dreamt of leading the Heritage Timberwolves to the playoffs for the first time since 2000.

Two weeks into the season, though, a broken leg smashed that dream.

Heritage did make the playoffs, behind the emergence of sophomore quarterback Garrett Grayson. Glascoe did his part, too, rehabilitating the broken leg ahead of schedule and made it back to play the final two games of the season, as a safety.

By the time Glascoe returned to the field, Grayson had been dominating the position, and would eventually earn a spot on the first-team, all Class 4A Greater St. Helens League.

“After I broke my leg, I thought my quarterback days were done,” Glascoe said. “I knew (Grayson) was going to be special.”

Turns out, Glascoe is not done as a signal-caller. Not yet anyway. 

Glascoe is back behind center and will play quarterback for the East team at Saturday’s Freedom Bowl Classic, an annual showcase of recent graduates from Southwest Washington high schools. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. at Columbia River High School.

“I’d been waiting my whole life for senior year of football. That’s when you’re more capable for football, you’re at the top of your game for high school. It sucked that it ended in two weeks,” Glascoe said.

His doctor told Glascoe that he probably would not make it back during the season, but there was a possibility. That’s all Glascoe needed to hear for motivation. If it was possible, he would do it. He even consumed massive amounts of milk.

“I just tried to get as much calcium as I could,” he said, adding that he believes it did help the bone heal.

Still, he knew he was not going to play quarterback for the Timberwolves when he returned. That’s why this weekend’s game has a little more meaning.

That, and the fact that his uncle is the East’s head coach. Terry Hyde, Prairie’s coach, accepted the invitation to coach this game because he wanted to coach his nephew, as a quarterback.

“It’s great to coach all of these kids because they’re all talented kids, but it’s special to coach your family,” Hyde said. “When I’m older, fat, and grayer, he’ll be able to look back and laugh at this.”

Glascoe enjoys seeing his uncle on the practice field, too.

“He has a lot higher standards for me than most people do,” Glascoe said. “He pushes me, but he also compliments me when I do things right.”

Glascoe hopes to hear a lot of that Saturday night, even if it has been some time since he played the position.

“I actually felt really confident going into the season,” Glascoe said, recalling that focus he had as a senior. “I gotta pick up where I left off with that confidence.”

He also said he is excited to be part of this event, which raises funds for local youth at Shriners Hospital for Children. Both teams visited the Portland hospital earlier this week, so the players understand the game’s significance.

“When they started this game, I was in the sixth grade and I thought it would be cool to play,” Glascoe said. “This game probably has more meaning than any athletic event I’ve ever played in.

We get to raise money for children in need.”

It also gives Clark County football players one more night to showcase their skills in front of friends and family.

Bryan Glascoe’s senior season ended too soon. He intends to take full advantage of Saturday’s final high school opportunity.