EASTON PETERSON: BRAINS AND BRAWN AT SAFETY FOR GRANITE HILLS

When Granite Hills safety Easton Peterson closes in for a tackle, he focuses on the opponent’s hips.

“They can try to sell you with a head or shoulder fake,” said the recentlyturned 18-year-old senior, “but they can’t fake with their hips.”

Peterson makes it sound easy, but his confidence on their field comes from hours and hours of studying film, not to mention spending a good part of each weekend in the fall watching TV, focusing on college and professionals who play his position.

“I watch, especially when they replay it in slow-motion,” Peterson said. “I think to myself, ‘I can do that.’ (Pittsburgh Steelers safety) Minkah Fitzpatrick is my favorite NFL player. He’s made so many good plays, and he has a couple of interceptions, plus he’s an outstanding tackler.

“But I also spend a lot of time watching film of our next opponent.”

That’s where Peterson learns the most. While others may watch the ball, he’ll focus on small things that become very big once the game starts.

“If the quarterback gives an easy tell, you put that in the back of your mind to use during the game,” said the 6foot, 160-pound Peterson who has 4.6 speed. “Or maybe a wide receiver will take a play off every now and then, so you know the ball isn’t going to him. Or a running back cuts a certain direction every time.

“But you always have to remember to be aggressive but not to over-pursue. As a safety, you are the last line of defense, so if you miss, it’s usually six points.”

Peterson and his defensive back teammates — Joaquin Thomas, Davion Green, Jordan Glaze and Nokio Maddox — must have learned a lot after the first game of the season, a 31-19 loss to seventh-ranked Poway, because since then, heading into this weekend’s game against No. 1 Madison, the Eagles allowed only 22 points.

That defense, and an evolving offense that last week rushed for more than 400 yards, have produced four-straight wins and the section’s No. 1 ranking in Division II, according to Maxpreps.

Peterson clearly remembers losing.

“We were ahead 10-0, and we dropped an easy pick-six. That shifted the entire momentum. Our special teams allowed a kick return on the next series, and we made a lot of mistakes. Since then, the defense has improved, and we’ve given the offense good field position more often.”

Dropping from Division I last year to Division II this year isn’t exactly what coach Kellan Cobbs wanted, but he hopes to make the most of the opportunity.

“I’m bummed we were put down in Division II,” Cobbs said. (The Eagles lost to Madison, 28-20, in the Division I quarterfinals in 2021.) “But it’s a good opportunity because I believe we’re able to play with all of those (Division II) teams.

“Our secondary is a good mix of young and old, all of whom are highly competitive. They feed off each other, and what I think they’ve learned since the start of the season is to not try to do too much. If they just do what they’re supposed to do, trust the other players, it works out.”

Peterson is a defensive captain, which he finds is both a plus and a minus.

“Sometimes you have to get on teammates,” said Peterson, who carries a 3.9 GPA. “But sometimes I’ve felt it’s better not to call them out at the time, to let them get better on their own. I respect that; we’re all a brotherhood.

“Oh, yeah, I was called out my sophomore and junior years but when you respect the captain, you know they’re just trying to help you get better. I’ve had players disagree with me, and we always work it out. I’m human. I’m not always right.”

But he certainly is versatile.

“Easton is a throwback,” Cobbs said. “He’s a threesport athlete in the three major sports — football, basketball and baseball. That’s getting more and more rare these days because those three sports are completely different.

“But that’s his strength. He’s very instinctual, and he puts in the time. He looks at film and sometimes he even sees tendencies that the assistant coaches miss.

“He leads a defense that doesn’t just work to get the ball back, but to tries to score. He’s special that way.”

BROOKE CASTILLO Easton Peterson studies film to improve his game at safety.