Haag plays variety of school sports

Haag counted valuable player on both sides of the ball for Pioneers

GENTRY - Dusty Haag just shrugged his shoulders when asked if he played too many sports.

“It makes it tough to keep up with school work sometimes, but I like playing it all,” Haag said. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

The 6-foot, 180-pound senior will be a two-way starter for the second consecutive year for the Pioneers’ football team, but that only gets his year started. He then moves to basketball in the winter and plays for the baseball team in the spring. Haag added bowling last year, and said he’s going to run some track this year as well.

Gentry football coach Brian Little said Haag always puts out maximum effort and is just a great example for his peers.

“He’s a good kid, a good student and a good athlete,’ Little said. “The neat thing about him is he’s a throwback. You don’t see that three-sport athlete as much as you used to.

“From a football standpoint, he’s been really solid and dependable for us. But the thing is, he goes and does the same thing for the basketball team and then again on the baseball diamond.”

Haag is described as a possession-type receiver for the Pioneers and an anchor at defensive end. He had 14 receptions for 165 yards and a touchdown last year to go with 25 tackles on defense.

He almost never came off the field last season for the Pioneers, and this year will likely be no different. But he doesn’t mind.

“I just try to run more and be in condition, butit’s hard to really prepare with all that adrenaline flowing on Friday night,” Haag said.

He has a knack for finding a seam in the defense and getting open to get a big fi rst down for the Pioneers, but he could be more valuable defensively, Little said.

“If I had to say one way or the other, I think I’d hate to lose him defensively,” Little said. “He’s very good with his hands, uses good technique to get off blockers. And we’ve got a little more depth at receiver right now. I’d hate to lose him on either side.”

Haag’s basketball skills also come into play as a receiver, too. “It’s almost like he’s posting up,” Little said. “He runs great routes and knows how to get open.”

After winning just three games in the past two seasons combined, Haagsaid this group has a chance to be better. “I believe we will make the playoffs,” Haag said. “I think we’ve come together better as a team and we’ve worked harder in the off season.”

Time will tell if Haag’s prediction is accurate, but there’s no question he will play an important role for the Pioneers this season.

Sports, Pages 10 on 09/04/2013