What could Tyler Weedon do for an encore after being named Catonsville Times Athlete of the Year as a junior?
What he did was to expand his duties on the football field, drop to a lower weight class on the wrestling mat and continue to dominate, which is why he was named the Catonsville Times male winner for the second year in a row.
The senior star continued to shine on the defensive side of the football field as a linebacker and the leading tackler for the 7-3 Comets, who reached a regional semifinal last fall.
Moreover, he also became a starting fullback equally adept at taking out opposing tacklers with a block — or running them over while carrying the ball.
He was selected as the All-County first team running back despite only rushing for 722 yards on 103 attempts (7.0 average) and 12 touchdowns.
"He got all 23 county votes from the coaches," Catonsville football coach Rich Hambor said. "I give all the county coaches credit. It's not about numbers, it's about ability."
Hambor admitted that Weedon could have run for 2,000 yards if he was the tailback, although his bruising style was better suited for fullback, especially in short-yardage situations.
"If it's third (down) and 2 (yards), we are going to get the first down, because he's getting it, and you can't stop him," Hambor said.
Weedon, a four-time All-County player and All-State selection, was also one of six Baltimore County athletes who played for the victorious Maryland all-stars in the Crab Bowl.
"It was awesome," Weedon said. "I got to play with some high caliber athletes."
This fall, the 5-10, 215 pounder will play at Wesley College in Dover, Del.
"They said I have a chance to start as a freshman," said Weedon, who doesn't know what position he will play. "I've been trained at linebacker my whole career, but I did pretty well at fullback — and that's a lot more fun."
Wherever he plays, he'll do it without a lot of flash.
"He's probably one of the quietest guys I've ever coached," Hambor said. "The thing I love about him is, the less you say and the more you do the better you are. He really took that to heart. There is nothing worse as a football player to continually get beat by a guy, and every time he beats you, he helps you up and he just continues to do it."
Weedon's signature moment on the gridiron came during his sophomore year when he had 27 combined tackles in a loss to Hereford.
In his final game as a senior, he had 18 tackles and rushed for 52 yards on 13 carries in a loss to North Harford.
He finished his career with 499 tackles, including a single-season high 148 as a sophomore.
He was also a leader and captain who called the defenses for the past three seasons.
"He was a strong, quiet leader," Hambor said.
That leadership transferred to the wrestling mat where he compiled an outstanding 132-12 record in four years, winning four regional titles, three county championships and finishing third in the state meet twice and fourth once.
As a senior, when he placed third, he nearly reached the final in the Class 3A-4A 189-pound weight class.
He was locked in a 1-1 battle late in the third period when he tried to take a shot on Wilde Lake's Zathy Ndiang in the semifinal.
Unfortunately for Weedon, Ndiang countered and spun around behind the Comet for a two-point takedown to win the match with just four seconds left in regulation.
"He definitely could have won that match," wrestling coach Eric Warm said. "Tyler was definitely the aggressor."
It was the second year in a row Weedon was beaten by an eventual state champ, and it was only his second loss of a stellar 34-2 season.
His other loss came early in the season to Westlake's Kion Magruder, and it proved to be the most important match of the season.
"That was the main motivation (to cut weight)," Weedon admitted after he moved to the 189-pound weight class instead of 215.
"I thought I could finish stronger at 189 because I was a small 215," Weedon said.
After losing in a state semifinal, he came back to win the consolation bracket.
"Everyone likes a winner, but it's losing that shows what kind of person you are," Warm said. "He lost a big match, but came back to win and that shows a lot of character."
Weedon, who started both sports at 11, admitted he was glad when the wrestling season was over.
"It was fun in parts, but it felt more like a job," he said. "The thing I will miss most is the team thing, and being around your friends all the time."
He wasn't always surrounded by friends, mainly because many of his Arbutus Middle School pals moved on to Lansdowne High.
"I remember coming in as a freshman and I didn't know anybody," he said.
Success as a rookie on the football field and his maturity on the wrestling mat changed all that.
"Tyler was always more mature than anybody else," Warm said. "He grew up ahead of his time."
"I made a lot of friends through sports, and it kept me interested in school," said Weedon, who plans to study criminal justice in college and is eager to get back on the football field.
"I'm ready to go," he said.