LEWISTOWN — Madden Norslien and Sam Durbin are helping lead the Lewistown football team through their actions on the field and in their community.
The two juniors have helped the Golden Eagles open the season with a 2-1 record. Norslien is in his first season as the Golden Eagles’ starting quarterback, while Durbin has made an impact at wide receiver and defensive back, recording four interceptions through the team’s first three games.
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But head coach Derek Lear said their influence extends beyond the numbers.
“They kind of lead by actions on the practice field, the way they represent themselves in the community,” Lear said. “When you’re a good person and you’re representing your community and school the right way, good things happen to you on the football field, too.”
Norslien earned all-state recognition while playing wide receiver and cornerback before moving to quarterback. He spent the offseason attending quarterback camps and clinics in several locations, including Arizona, as he prepared for the new role.
“He’s a quiet kid,” Lear said. “He leads by example. He does the right things.”
Norslien embraces that approach. Rather than trying to be the loudest voice on the field, he focuses on keeping his teammates together and helping them respond to adversity.
“Leading by showing kids what to do and just being the right person at the right time,” Norslien said. “Picking up kids after making a mistake and just making sure the team is together and not singled out on the field.”
That leadership is something Durbin has witnessed for years. He said he has known Norslien since they were about 5 or 6 years old, with their connection growing through football.
“The chemistry we got was when we started football,” Durbin said. “It’s probably when everything just kind of started clicking for us, and we’ve been friends ever since.”
Durbin said Norslien will occasionally crack a joke on the sideline, but he most often energizes his teammates by making plays.
“He’ll go make a play or he’ll go do something that’s like, ‘Wow,’” Durbin said. “That gets you hyped. That gets you wanting to go do something yourself.”
Norslien had similar to say about his teammate, saying his sixth sense on the gridiron is what helps him stand out.
“He has a lot of natural instinct with football,” Norslien said. “He has really good hands, he can catch the ball really well, and his route running. He’s fast, so I know he’s going to be open when I need him to be.”
When asked to describe his longtime friend and quarterback, Durbin kept his answer simple.
“He’s an upstanding kind of guy," he said.
