Northeast teammates blossom into football stars
By WILLIAM WEATHERS
[email protected]
Advocate sportswriter
"We're like brothers," said Brown, a three-year starter at wide receiver and free safety. "We hang out a lot together, do a lot of things together. We also talk a lot. We talk about things."
The topics generally range from how to keep atop Northeast the District 8-2A standings to what it would take for the Vikings to advance past the Class 2A state football semifinals this season.
Then, invariably, the discussions will turn to the future and more specifically, whether they'll remain teammates beyond high school.
"He's asked me where I'm going and I don't know," Brown said. "I've asked him the same thing and he doesn't know."
"We've had that talk several times," Holliday said. "Whatever happens ... it just happens."
Fortunately for both, such a decision will be waiting to be made upon the conclusion of their senior seasons.
It's a time that neither Brown, nor Holliday, would have envisioned being able to take part in before their high school careers.
"It's all a new experience to me," said Brown, who has already gotten nine scholarship offers.
"I came up playing basketball. That was my dream. So I didn't think I would be in this position. It's kind of been stressful and confusing at times when you talk to different people. My mom's told me to take it one day at a time."
Although Holliday's created a bigger national reputation as a sprinter in track, the 5-foot-6 running back/kick returner shouldn't be stereotyped in that order.
"The biggest question about Trindon was his size," Northeast coach David Masterson said. "He reminds me of (former Zachary High School and Tennessee two-sport athlete) Leonard Scott who was a tad faster. But Trindon is a football guy that also runs track."
Holliday, who began playing football in the seventh grade, said his focus toward a future in the sport changed the minute he scored a touchdown for the first time during a freshman game.
Considering how often Holliday found the end zone the past two years, it's understandable why his interest has soared.
"I don't have any favorites (schools) right now," Holliday said. "I want to go through my senior year and then recruiting will be something I look forward to going through."
Attention-getter
In the case of Brown it's something he's had to confront for more than a year.
Schools such as Auburn, Michigan and South Carolina have offered scholarships to Brown, a combination of size (6-2, 196), strength and speed (4.48 seconds in the 40-yard dash) .He's also started at Northeast in basketball for three years and been a mainstay in the track program as a sprinter.
"Until Aaron came along his brother was the best pure athlete I had coached," Masterson said of Brown's older brother Chris, who played at Grambling State. "I had never seen Aaron until he came on our campus. My jaw dropped because he was a spitting image of Chris. After watching him play, I knew he was something special."
Brown didn't wait long to introduce himself to the end zone. His first catch, a 68-yard catch-and-run in a jamboree against Zachary his freshman year, went for a score.
Since then Brown's produced 117 catches for 1,823 yards and 15 touchdowns. He's combined for eight more touchdown on either kick or interception returns.
Brown is quick to credit his brother for serving as a role model and Masterson for his persistence.
"By him playing football, it motivated me a lot to want to go to college," Brown said of his brother. "It motivated me to work harder to get where he was and have the same chance like he did.
"I remember coach Masterson telling me there weren't too many 6-2 centers in (college) basketball," said Brown, whose averaged 17-to-18 points during his basketball career. "Then during my sophomore year I started working harder and people were noticing me more. Then I was named all-district on both offense and defense, so I knew I was doing well. That's when I started loving football."
More than meets the eye
Holliday, who has the nation's second-best indoor 55-meter time as a sophomore, did more than dispel any myths about being able to play running back at his size.
He completely destroyed it.
Holliday, who started at wide receiver as a sophomore, was named to the Class 2A All-State team and The Advocate's All-Metro teams after rushing 185 times for 1,859 yards and 25 touchdowns last season. He also earned the District 8-2A offensive MVP.
Holliday turned in the state's third-best rushing game last year, with 323 yards and five touchdowns. Twice he rushed for 230 yards or more in the regular season.
"I think a lot of people told me I was too little," said Holliday, who also scored four touchdowns on either punt or kickoff returns. "But I think I showed what I could do."
Masterson said the most impressive aspect of Holliday's rushing total was that it simply wasn't a dash to the corner where he could flash his 4.27 speed in the 40-yard dash.
"People think, because of his speed, everything he gets is to the outside," he said. "But his favorite play was off tackle. He wasn't afraid to run it up the middle, get it to that second level (speed) and have only a free safety there to beat. When he cuts it's not laterally, it's downhill. He's always gaining yards."
Concerted effort
Northeast turned into a major player on the Class 2A scene a year ago. The Vikings finished as the undefeated District 8-2A champions and wound up 12-1, losing to Sterlington in the state semifinals.
Northeast's dedication toward returning to the glory of a year ago can be traced to its offseason workouts. The Vikings lift weights and go through conditioning work four days a week along with taking part in 7-on-7 passing drills.
It's customary to find Brown and Holliday taking lead roles in the grueling heat.
"They accept their roles and don't complain," Masterson said. "And they get along. They really compliment each other very well."
