Football is all about love for Sawyer Muehlbauer.
The love of the game. The love of competition. The love for teammates — especially, the love for teammates.
That love has been with a heavy heart for the Skyview Storm since the death of teammate William ‘Liam’ Sloan, who died unexpectedly Oct. 10 in his sleep.
The heavy heart comes with a bigger load for Muehlbauer, Skyview’s 6-foot-5, 215-pound senior nose tackle. Ahead of Saturday’s Class 4A first-round state playoff game against Bothell (5-4) at Kiggins Bowl, Muehlbauer will make his fifth start at Sloan’s spot on the offensive line — right tackle. Prior to Sloan’s passing, the senior played just one offensive series all season.
Muehlbauer knows he carries a big load now for a bigger reason. And that load is worth carrying.
“It’s an honor to play in this position,” he said, “and to play for him.”
Being a two-way starter on a Class 4A playoff team is one of many new things in recent months for Muehlbauer. He’s also new to Skyview.
Growing up in White Salmon, he previously starred the past three seasons at Class 1A Columbia High at tight end and defensive end. In wrestling, he reached the 1A final at 190 pounds at February’s Mat Classic to become the school’s first finalist in any weight class.
In fact, fresh off wrestling at July’s US Junior National Championships in Fargo, N.D., is when Muehlbauer got an eye-opening experience of Class 4A football starting with daily weight room workouts. A linemen-only session is when he met the Storm’s linemen.
Among them was Sloan.
Muehlbauer only knew Sloan a few months, but the impression left remains a lasting one. Their frequent chats from plays to blocking schemes are memories Muehlbauer cherishes. The light on Sloan’s work ethic and character haven’t dimmed.
“He taught me a lot. I would always ask him questions,” Muehlbauer said. “He was a funny guy, and really nice. He worked really hard every practice.”
That makes jogging out for offense at games hard, but also needed, Muehlbauer said.
Recently, the program retired Sloan’s No. 70. The jersey is currently being memorialized in a frame that soon will be displayed inside Skyview’s weight room, head coach Steve Kizer said. It will hang next to the No. 85 framed jersey that honors the late Trey Foote. Skyview retired Foote’s number in 2006 after the safety’s two-year cancer battle.
Like other Storm teammates, Muehlbauer is motivated by Sloan when he takes the field.
“I feel like I have to do well — for him,” he said. “I think he’d be pretty proud of how I’m playing, because I’ve been doing a lot better and been improving a lot.”
Jumping from 1A to 4A football meant plenty of adjustments, but success came quickly for Muehlbauer. Through 10 weeks, the senior has 69 tackles, including 10 for loss and four sacks at nose tackle after beginning the season at defensive end.
Kizer isn’t surprised to see Muehlbauer’s immediate impact and credits the teenager’s wrestling background for why. His tenacity and motor go unmatched, the coach said.
“You know how those wrestlers are,” Kizer said. “They don’t get tired. … He plays every play as hard as he can. Wrestlers don’t take plays off in that sport, and that’s what he does here in football.”
Indeed, Muehlbauer plays football just like he wrestles.
“In wrestling, it’s a short period of time — just like a football play,” he said. “A wrestling match is 2-minute rounds, so you’ve got to go hard the whole time, and it makes it easier in football. … You have to go as hard as you can.”
Something else that’s new for Muehlbauer this year? Experiencing playoff football.
Five Washington opponents Skyview (7-3) faced in the regular season reached the 4A or 3A state playoffs, including victories over current 4A round-of-16 teams Graham-Kapowsin, Richland and Puyallup. In last week’s 33-0 shutout of Juanita for Muehlbauer’s first-ever playoff game, he recorded eight tackles, including two for loss.
Saturday against Bothell at Kiggins Bowl, he’ll look to carry another big load for a bigger reason.
For himself. For his teammates. And for one teammate in particular.
Said Muehlbauer: “I’m really excited about the next few weeks.”
