Mountain View’s Michael Bolds, right, runs through defensive drills with his team during practice at McKenzie Stadium. Bolds has a school-record eight interceptions this season. Alisha Jucevic/The Columbian
Michael Bolds enjoys life on the island.
Every week, it’s motivation for the Mountain View senior cornerback, spending time isolated in coverage of a wide receiver.
And every week, that keeps Bolds focused during film sessions, such as this week preparing for second-seed O’Dea (10-1) in Saturday’s 2 p.m. Class 3A football state semifinal at Skyline High School in Sammamish.
But he’s also an honest critic of his own tape — The same footage that shows Bolds’ school-record eight interceptions this season. The same player who has not allowed a touchdown in 12 games.
Don’t turn too fast, he says. Stay square longer, he adds.
“I can do better,” Bolds said.
Selfless words from a player who in the span of 3 minutes, 13 seconds last weekend made the two biggest plays of his career. Those sent the Thunder back to the state semifinals for the first time since 2002.
His school-record eighth interception in the second quarter came minutes after blocking Rainier Beach’s point-after try on its only touchdown drive. That special-teams play preserved Mountain View’s 7-6 lead in the state quarterfinal at McKenzie Stadium last Saturday.
That 7-6 score ended up being the final.
“That was crazy,” he said. “I would never think anything like that would ever happen.”
Mountain View led 7-0, scoring a touchdown on its opening possession. Rainier Beach answered in the second quarter with a 30-yard touchdown pass.
Bolds normally is on the special teams unit to defend PATs. Everything on the play lined up perfectly as he came off the right side.
Bolds explains:
“Makai (Anderson) made a good block on the edge guy so he couldn’t block me,” he said. “I had an open lane to block it.
“That made me happy. That made everyone happy.”
That play changed the momentum and eventually shaped the game’s outcome. It’s a play that Bolds still looks back on in disbelief.
“Nobody knew that was going to be the final score,” he said. “But it happened. It helped our team win.”
Winning is what Mountain View has done virtually all year. Now winners of 11 straight, this is Mountain View’s third trip to the state semifinals in school history and first since going back-to-back in 2001 and ’02.
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Last year, a bit of a role reversal for Bolds ultimately changed the direction of his football career.
Two years ago, Bolds only played offense. He started both ways as a junior, but ankle injury in Week 6 against Kelso limited what he could do as a two-way starter.
But coach Adam Mathieson saw a transition in the making.
It took time, but Bolds did, too.
Not every player is equipped to make a transition from receiver to cornerback, or, in Mathieson’s terms, instead of shooting a 3-pointer in basketball, now defending it. But not every player Mathieson has come across in two decades of coaching high school football is like Bolds.
The coach puts Bolds in elite company. He reminds him of one of Mathieson’s ex-college teammates at Western Washington, Orlondo Steinauer, an NAIA All-American at defensive back who spent 12 years in the Canadian Football League.
Bolds has many of Steinauer’s qualities, Mathieson said, starting with being a technician.
“He plays like a fluid robot would — in a good way,” the coach said. “He plays a step ahead. As far as going through the checks and balances and understanding schemes, he’s programmed that way.”
Bolds is a veteran of the Thunder’s 4-2-5 defense that includes Bolds as the right cornerback, Philip Earnhardt as the left cornerback and Anderson at free safety.
Bolds still starts at slot receiver for the Thunder (11-1), but says his heart is now on defense.
Through 12 games on offense, he has 30 catches for 388 yards.
Last year, Bolds had two interceptions and allowed one touchdown before the ankle injury.
Last week’s interception in the state quarterfinal win broke defensive backs coach Jered Barker’s interception record from 2007. That’s now eight interceptions for Bolds, who wears jersey No. 8.
“Hopefully,” Mathieson said, “he’ll get a few more. … It’s a good feeling when the ball’s in the air.”
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