Keeping it in the family
Prep football: Younger Eget brother takes reigns for Wildcats
As the sun set on West Ranch’s practice Tuesday, work only came to a close after quarterback Weston Eget dropped a beauty of a pass from around 25 yards out into the arms of a receiver in stride down the right side of the field.
It was an easy touchdown catch, something the Wildcats have seen plenty of amid their record 5-0 start, outscoring opponents 225-82.
West Ranch’s confidence has hardly been shaken since an injury to quarterback Colton Mitchell, which has shelved him for nearly all of the team’s last two games.
That mostly has to do with Eget, who helped orchestrate a 35-14 come-from-behind win over Canyon in the team’s Foothill League opener last Friday.
That last name probably sounds familiar — and it should.
Eget’s brother, Wyatt, threw for over 1,400 yards and 11 touchdowns as a senior for the Wildcats last season. He’s currently playing at Whittier College but rarely misses a West Ranch game.
“He tells me he’s paving the way for me,” Weston said with a laugh. “It gives me a lot of confidence having a role model like that.”
Weston was thrust into action two plays in against Oak Park on Sept. 22 and threw five touchdowns. He stumbled out of the gates against Canyon, though, throwing two first-half interceptions.
But a touchdown run six seconds before the half opened the floodgates for 35 unanswered points.
He’s already been named the starter for Friday against Saugus with Mitchell still on the mend.
“Against Oak Park (Weston) didn’t have time to think,” Wildcats coach Chris Varner. “He was probably pressing early against Canyon. He knows he’s the guy now and his play has reflected it.”
Weston shouldn’t be short for confidence. After all, the 6-foot2 junior was slinging passes to three-time Pro Bowler Odell Beckham Jr. of the New York Giants this summer.
“My personal quarterback coach (Sam Fisher) hit us up one day and asked if we wanted to throw to some NFL receivers at UCLA,” Weston said. “Obviously, I was already going to say yes, but then he let us know (Beckham) was going to be there.
“… It was one of the most amazing football experiences I’ve had and it taught me the game is way faster than we think. I just wanted to give him some good looks.”
For now, it’ll be of more importance for Weston to find Kuan Glasgow and Jovan Camacho in the end zone, rather than Beckham.
He’s done a fine job of that thus far, with eight touchdown passes in two games.
When his time is up at West Ranch another Eget waits in the wings as his youngest brother, Walker, has starred for the Wildcats’ freshman team.
“Truly, just a great family,” Varner said. “Each kid is as nice and respectful as the other and they’re extremely coachable. That’s a luxury not every coach has.”