Bellingham believes in senior QB Gavin Elder
BELLINGHAM -- Bellingham football coach Dan Haddad believes the signature trait that his senior quarterback Gavin Elder possesses is confidence. An example: after the 2019 Thanksgiving Day game against Norton, a game in which his sophomore first-year starter took a beating but nearly led a thrilling comeback in a 14-13 loss to finish at 3-8, Elder had a message to deliver.
“He walked off the field that day and said, ‘Coach, we are going to win the whole thing next year’,” said Haddad. “He made sure to find me and tell me.”
As it turns out, it wasn’t just hubris. No one could have predicted that the state wouldn’t see high school football for more than 15 months, but when the Blackhawks returned in Fall II they won everything they possibly could, going 5-0 during the shortened season and claiming the Tri-Valley League Small crown, their first league title in two decades.
Elder backed up his boast by connecting on 63-of-93 passes with 12 touchdowns and not a single interception, earning TVL Small MVP honors.
“Something in me just knew,” said Elder. “I had a feeling. I hate losing.”
In his first season under center, Elder spent a lot of time exactly there -- taking direct snaps -- as the Blackhawks primarily ran a Wing-T based offense. But Bellingham opened things up the following year, switching to a spread, and the offense flourished, averaging 37 points per game.
“That was a very good decision we made,” said Elder with a wry smile about the new offense, adding that being able to work with his receivers during the long layoff aided the transition. “I like throwing the ball a lot more than running.
“(What I like about quarterback) is I get the ability to lead the team and I get to make the decisions -- I touch the ball every play. I like to make plays”
That decision-making ability is another quality that sets the southpaw slinger apart, according to Haddad. As a sophomore, the game had a tendency to speed up on Elder, who often bailed out of the pocket to scramble at the first sign of pressure. Not so anymore.
”He is able to read a defense really well now, and more importantly he knows where everyone is supposed to be,” said Haddad. “And when you have a guy that controls the game on the field, it eases your job as a coach.”
This fall, the Blackhawks will have to rely on Elder more than ever with a completely different cast around him as Bellingham graduated all of its starting skill players and returns just one offensive lineman. But Haddad is anxious to see what Elder can do for an encore.
“He lost a lot of his weapons and he spent the whole short offseason developing new ones,” said Haddad. “It’s going to be exciting to see.”
Despite playing just five games in Fall II, last year’s Blackhawks squad matched the program’s high-water mark for victories over the previous 12 seasons, posting the first winning campaign since 2007.
Bellingham does have a rich football history, however, with four MIAA Super Bowl championships, including a mini-dynasty with three titles from 1998-2001. Elder is proud to be part of restoring that tradition to his hometown, something he hopes continues starting at Blackstone-Millville on Saturday.
“It’s the best feeling,” said Elder. “That is my main goal, to keep that feeling here, that winning culture.”