Coupeville Sports

Bryce Fleming (80) and his Wolf teammates parade through town, on their way to deliver a beat-down to anyone who would dare face them on the gridiron.

Bryce Fleming is quick. He just needs to be a bit slower at times on the gridiron.

The Coupeville High School junior, who is slotted to play at wing and outside linebacker this season, has speed to burn. A big part of any success he has, though, will come from keeping his temper from burning him right back.

“My temper is something I need to work on,” Fleming said. “I get mad very easy on the field. I need to keep a level head to play at my best.”

If he can find his happy place while wearing the black and red, Fleming could be a breakout threat for the Wolves.

With the switch to the wing-t offense under new head coach Tony Maggio, players with wheels will have an opportunity to shine.

“My main strength as a player has to be my speed. I plan on breaking some big runs this year,” Fleming said. “Another strength I have is my hands. I’m good at catching the ball, which makes me a threat down the field as well.”

Using a mix of runs and quick passes, with a ton of misdirection, the wing-t can be a brutal offense for opposing teams to try and stop. The hope for a young Wolf team is that foes feel that terror early on.

“We definitely have a powerhouse offense this year. Defenses are gonna be afraid of us after our first quarter against (opening opponent) Bellevue Christian,” Fleming said. “Our goal for this season is just like the goal of any team out there. To go 9-0.

“We have the talent. We just need to fine tune everything. Perfect the details,” he added. “My goal as a player is to become the best I can be on the field. I want to play college football. And, by striving to be the best now, I can get there.”

A fan of fight movies, Fleming’s personal pick is “Warrior,” a top-notch film about brothers who are driven apart by their anger, but come to accept each other and find a grudging respect and love while trapped together in the harsh spotlight of the MMA ring.

While his own battles with anger are a lot less severe than those exhibited by Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton in the film, Fleming and his Wolf teammates hope to reap a similar positive outcome to their stories.

“I believe our program is changing and our opponents aren’t going to be ready for us,” Fleming said. “And we will win!”