LEWISTOWN — The Lewistown Golden Eagles have put together a strong season in Class A football, and junior running back and linebacker Chaz Walsh has emerged as one of the driving forces behind their success.
Walsh brings an explosive, physical style to the Eagles' backfield, drawing inspiration from running backs Derrick Henry and Najee Harris.
"I've always looked up to guys like Derrick Henry and Najee Harris," Walsh said. "I've just always loved watching them play and just modeled my game after them."
That model is pretty straightforward: when given the choice between going around a defender and going through one, Walsh isn't afraid to choose the latter.
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"When I run someone over, I just look at them like, 'Oh man,'" Walsh said. "It gets me fired up."
But Walsh said there's more to playing running back than physicality. He takes pride in his vision and ability to find openings that might not be where a play was originally designed to go.
"Being able to read a hole, being able to ... the run's going left, but there's a hole on the complete opposite side and you hit that hole," Walsh said. "That's what I think."
Eagles coach Derek Lear has watched that combination of size, speed and vision turn Walsh into a player capable of changing a game in an instant.
"There's not a lot of kids his size with his speed and his abilities," Lear said. "He's a kid that any single time you hand the ball off to him, he could take it 90 yards."
Lear has known Walsh much longer than his time as a varsity football player. He said he's watched Walsh grow from a somewhat shy kid into one of the Eagles' most vocal leaders.
Walsh started on both sides of the ball as a sophomore but was quieter during that first varsity season. This year, he's become one of the players responsible for setting the tone at practice and, as a linebacker, making sure the defense is lined up correctly.
"He holds kids accountable," Lear said. "Ultimately, you need some guys to hold each other accountable, and kids respond to him because he's earned that opportunity to be that leader."
Walsh said becoming that kind of leader didn't happen overnight.
"I feel like I've had to earn that," Walsh said. "I want to be that vocal guy everybody looks to. When stuff's going bad, they come to me."
That growth has coincided with increased interest in Walsh at the college level. Walsh said he has received offers from the University of Montana, Rocky Mountain College and Carroll College, and recently visited the University of Washington.
Lear believes Walsh's work outside of games has helped him earn that attention. He pointed to Walsh's time in the weight room, focus on nutrition and preparation throughout the week, along with his explosiveness as a track athlete.
"The cool thing about him is he's put the work in," Lear said. "There's a lot of kids that have athleticism and have the ability. Just the hard work that he's put in has kind of separated him from a lot of other kids."
Walsh, however, is quick to share the credit with the players around him.
"I wouldn't have these offers without these guys, especially the line up front," Walsh said. "Without those guys, I'm nothing."
Walsh was born in Georgia before being adopted by his family in Lewistown. Despite his journey beginning thousands of miles away, he said Montana quickly became home.
"I feel like I fit right in right away," Walsh said. "This community is great. I absolutely love Montana."
Lear put it even more simply.
"He's a Lewistown kid in our eyes," Lear said. "Obviously he's had a different journey than a lot of kids, but that hasn't slowed him down and hasn't changed anything in our Lewistown or our Fergus football family. He's one of us."
Walsh grew up in what he described as a basketball family, but his late grandfather helped foster his love for football.
"My grandpa, who died two years ago, absolutely loved football," Walsh said. "He was the most diehard fan. If he were still alive, he would be having me watch football film for two hours every single day."
Now football is taking Walsh closer to a dream he has held since childhood.
"Ever since I was a little kid, all I ever wanted to do was just go play at the next level," Walsh said. "Just realizing, like, I'm so close and I've got to keep pushing myself to get to that goal, and I can't stop no matter what."
Yet when Walsh looks further down the road and thinks about what he wants people in Lewistown to remember about him, his answer has little to do with touchdowns, tackles or college offers.
"That I was a good person," Walsh said. "I think being a good person off the field is more important than being a good player on the field."
That answer is one of the things Lear appreciates most about the junior.
"He represents himself the right way, his family the right way," Lear said. "When he's out in public, he's representing the school and the community the right way."
For Walsh, those lessons are ultimately bigger than the game itself.
"Football has taught me how to be a man," Walsh said, "how to grow up and just be a good person."
