Commentary: Breitenstein humble despite big numbers
By Steve Behr, sports editor

There are several ways that Watauga football coach Adrian Snow can describe Pioneers running back Eric Breitenstein.

Fast, quick and elusive are three. Snow can say the junior has great vision, can change directions on a dime and has great patience when it comes to waiting for a hole to open up.

All of those descriptions would describe the way Breitenstein has been able to pile up over 800 yards and score 14 rushing touchdowns — 17 overall — in leading the Pioneers to a 5-0 record.

However, Snow uses a different word to describe Breitenstein, who has All-State potential.

“Humble.”

“He’s special,” Snow added. “I can’t stop hiding it. He’ll tell you right now that he’s not it. because he knows he plays with 10 other guys on the field and 30 others on the sideline.”

Breitenstein would have plenty of reasons to bring attention to himself, but the only way he does that is through his actions. He’s scored 14 rushing touchdowns, 17 overall, with seven of them coming on runs of over 20 yards.

He can run between the tackles or the outside. He can grind out a 4-yard gain on a third-and-three, or he can crank out a 21-yard gain on a third-and-18.

As he has all season, Breitenstein gave credit to his offensive line and the Pioneers’ scheme for allowing him the room to run.

“Our scheme makes it possible for our line to do such a good job,” Breitenstein said. “Every game we’ve watched film and watched film to learn their defense and then we’ve come up with a plan how we’re going to block what play. Our line is just doing a heck-of-a job learning and getting their timing down. They were just blowing up holes all day.”

He can also block, especially when it comes to picking up the blitz. Just ask Ashe County linebacker No. 12, who was blocked head-over-heels during the Pioneers’ 28-7 win over Ashe.

He’s the heart and soul of an offense that averages over 30 points per game. Need a touchdown reception? One of his 17 touchdowns was the result of a catch and run.

Yet offense is just part of how he contributes to the Pioneers.

Defensively, he hits like he blocks. Usually when there is a big collision on the field, Breitenstein is close by.

He also has come up big via special teams. His interception of an Ethan Goodman pass, after Goodman was flushed out of punt formation following a bad snap, was returned 53 yards for a touchdown.

Breintestein, who is the longsnapper on the Pioneers’ punt team, also blocked two Hibriten punts, returning one for a touchdown.

That just leaves a regular interception, a regular punt return and a kickoff return, which could be a problem since Breitenstein doesn’t return punts and teams kick away from him when they kickoff.

Ashe County was so afraid of kicking the ball to him, the Huskies kicked the opening kickoff out of bounds three times before the Pioneers finally took the ball at their 40-yard line.

Things probably won’t be so easy for Breitenstein during the Northwestern 4-A Conference, which begins Friday against South Caldwell, which is also undefeated.

Following that game are showdowns with Freedom and an A.C. Reynolds team that looks to be a 4-A state championship contender.

But Watauga is also a better football team this year. The Pioneers are blocking better and have more weapons than they’ve had since the Mike Propst years.

So far, the biggest one wears jersey No. 2.