Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Brother To Brother
HELTEMES CARRIES ON FAMILY LEGACY
PRAIRIE GROVE — As a freshman Prairie Grove football coaches noted Garrett Heltemes’ desire to become better than his older brother, Gavin Heltemes, part of the Tigers’ 2015 State Runner-up team.
That drive made Garrett Heltemes the Enterprise-Leader’s selection for Male Athlete of the Year for school year 2018-19 at Prairie Grove.
Gavin Heltemes created quite a legacy combining with standout teammates, Ty Tice and Dylan Soehner, to win the 2014 District 4A-1 boys basketball tournament, upsetting co-conference champions Lincoln and Farmington, as a junior. He combined with fellow wide receiver Isaac Disney to form a long-bomb threat on either side of the field for quarterback Sam Dodd as a senior.
Joining Gavin on the varsity roster and taking the field for the 2015 Tiger playoff run ranks as Garrett’s all-time favorite memory of playing sports at Prairie Grove.
“My freshman year when I moved up for playoffs. All the freshmen move up and I got to go to the (2015) state championship game with my brother (Gavin), when he was a senior at the time,” Garrett said. “That was the first time I ever played a sport with my brother so that was just cool to wear the same uniform, be on the same field for a couple games.”
Gavin’s impressive resume didn’t daunt Garrett, three years younger, who competed toe-to-toe and elbow-to-elbow with Gavin during their growing up years.
Playing fullback Garrett Heltemes (6-2, 190) emerged as Prairie Grove’s feature back, rushing for a team-high 1,354 yards on 162 carries, averaging 8.33 yards-perrush with 18 touchdowns. He caught 6 passes for 58 yards.
Garrett Heltemes wreaked havoc on defense, scoring twice on long fumble runbacks. He recovered a blocked punt in the regular season finale at Lincoln and returned the ball to the Wolves’ one, setting up Ethan Guenther’s quarterback sneak, part of a 28-point second quarter Prairie Grove explosion. Garrett Heltemes carried 22 times for 217 yards and 3 touchdowns including a 24 yarder against Lincoln.
He had a 65-yard return against Green Forest made possible by James Millwood’s sack and a flip-the-field exploit at the end of the first half, foiling a Lonoke trick play during a playoff game.
On first-and-10 from the Tiger 47 following a Prairie Grove punt, Lonoke took time-out with 4.6 seconds remaining in the first half and attempted a double-pass. Garrett Heltemes described what unfolded on the field, crediting the Tiger coaching staff with preparing him to defend trick plays.
“I was just playing defensive end like I always do and I saw them kind of throw it to the left,” Garrett Heltemes said.
“We had gone through some different trick plays and that was one of them so I stayed with their quarterback so they couldn’t do a pass back to him which was their plan. Then Graham Guenther went and tipped the pass back, which was behind the line so it was a fumble and I just went and picked it up and just ran for a touchdown.”
In a few seconds, Garrett Heltemes forever etched his name into the annals of Tiger football although he admits instinct took over on the 40-yard touchdown fumble return which put Prairie Grove ahead, 20-14, at halftime.
“In football I just zone in. I don’t think about anything. I don’t feel the adrenaline until the play is over, and yeah then you get that adrenaline rush. It comes in really fast, it’s like, ‘how the heck did I just do that?’”
On defense, Garrett Heltemes finished the season with 27 tackles and two forced fumbles. He was named All-State in football.
Garrett Heltemes played baseball in the spring. His plans are to attend Coffeyville Community College, of Coffeyville, Kan., on an academic and athletic scholarship for baseball and major in Athletic Training/Physical Therapy.
Heltemes expressed appreciation to former Prairie Grove baseball coach Chris Mileham for polishing his skills which helped land him a scholarship.
“I’d like to thank Coach Mileham for helping me out the past three-and-a-half years. If it wasn’t for him I don’t think I’d be going to college to play baseball,” Garrett Heltemes said. “When I was a junior I didn’t know how much playing time I would get and he worked with me throughout the whole preseason. Then I got a lot of playing time which was nice and then he helped me get in contact with some of the Coffeyville coaches, along with my brother’s help. Those two really helped me to get to where I am today and I appreciate their help.”
Garrett Heltemes walked out of high school carrying a little swag, grateful his individual efforts to live up to his brother’s legacy have been recognized.
“Ever since we were little, we’d always go against each other in basketball, football, baseball or anything,” Garrett Heltemes said. “We never really got the chance to compete together. It’s always been a rivalry so it’s pretty cool to hear people say that I’ve held my own against him. Whenever we were younger, he beat me in everything.”