Prep football: Colony senior Bemidji bound

Feb. 9, 2007

By Jeremiah Bartz/ Frontiersman

PALMER - It's unusual for a defensive end to line up all over the field, unless that defensive end is George Percak-Dennett.

During his senior season with the Colony Knights, Percak-Dennett was listed as a defensive lineman. But teams wouldn't always find him in lining up in a three-point stance next to a defensive tackle.

Sometimes he'd be down on the line. Sometimes he'd be up with the linebackers. And sometimes he'd even be back in the defensive backfield.

Percak-Dennett's versatility is one reason why Colony advanced to the large-schools state title game for the second time in school history. It's one reason why he earned a boatload of individual honors, including the award for the Gatorade Player of the Year for Alaska. And it's one reason why Percak-Dennett will play at the college level.

On Wednesday, the CHS senior signed a National Letter of Intent to play football for Bemidji State University in Bemidji, Minn.

Percak-Dennett said coaches from Bemidji State have been in steady contact with him since his junior campaign, one reason why he opted for the Division II school. He also had a chance to fly down to Minnesota to attend a banquet and visit the campus.

There he found another reason why he wanted to go to Bemidji.

&#8220I got to see them with their championship rings,” Percak-Dennnett said.

In November, Bemidji State won its first Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference championship and the Beaver players have the rings to prove it.

Percak-Dennett had once considered Northern State in South Dakota, but Bemidji State and Minnesota State University-Moorhead were final two choices.

And Bemidji rose to the top.

&#8220I really liked Moorhead,” he said. &#8220But Bemidji, they wanted to redshirt me. The kids down there are huge, and I'd really like that extra year.”

Percak-Dennett, who will play outside linebacker at BSU, hopes to use that year to put on 10 or 15 pounds, and get to about the 240-pound range. The 6-foot-1 Percak-Dennett said the outside linebackers already at Bemidji are not necessarily extremely huge, just fast.

While he will work on the size, speed is something Percak-Dennett already has.

Percak-Dennett runs a &#8220legitimate 4.5,” in the 40-yard dash, Colony head coach Jamie Mayo said. He was also the second fastest player, among a group of more than 400, at the All-Alaska Football Camp at Colony High School last summer, something that is a bit unusual for a player listed as a defensive lineman.

Percak-Dennett excelled on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball as a senior - he was first-team all-conference and all-state at both tight end and defensive end - but outside linebacker is where he wants to be.

&#8220I like hitting people,” Percak-Dennett said. &#8220I get to fly around and have fun. It's like reckless abandon.”

Mayo said it is also where Percak-Dennett will best fit into the college game.

&#8220It's just more of a natural position for him,” said Mayo, who also is the Knights' defensive coordinator. &#8220Even though he had the success he did as a tight end, I think sometimes he kind of forced himself. Defensively, it just came natural. He didn't have to do anything other than react.”

During his senior season, Percak-Dennett recorded 95 tackles, 26 tackles-for-loss and 14 quarterback sacks. He also forced three fumbles, intercepted two passes and had six passses defensed.

&#8220He was easily the best player in the state on the defensive side of the ball,” Mayo said. &#8220Obviously I am bias, but all the other coaches in the state thought he was the best player on the defensive side of the ball. People looked at him and realized they're going to have to account for him on every play.”

Mayo said he was able to have more freedom with the use of Percak-Dennett on the field, than with any other player he has coached at CHS.

&#8220We set up a lot of different defenses,” Mayo said. &#8220We moved him all over.”

In Colony's win over Wasilla, Percak-Dennett lined up at free safety.

&#8220I was shocked,” Percak-Dennett said of playing the new position. &#8220I thought he was joking. I'd never played that in my life.”

Percak-Dennett played in the defensive backfield and helped the Knights stop a potent Wasilla passing attack. Colony earned a 35-3 win over WHS.

&#8220We knew, putting him back there, they wouldn't be able to scheme for him,” Mayo said. &#8220We just told him, you got wherever you want, do whatever you want. It made it tough for Wasilla.”

Percak-Dennett is part of a 15-player recruiting class, and one of two Alaskans BSU signed on Wednesday. Also headed to Bemidji is Soldotna senior lineman Austin Roberts.

Bemidji also has eight other players from Alaska on the roster - fullback Jake Ritter (Juneau-Douglas), offensive lineman Chad Whaley (North Pole), defensive back Sid Johnson (Lathrop), wide receiver Warren Ballard (Chugiak), defensive back Canyon McKinstry (Homer), defensive back Justin Smith (Homer), running back Brandon Miles (Kenai Central) and quarterback Cory Wardrope (Chugiak).

Chris Meisler, a Wasilla graduate, finished his senior season with the Beavers in 2006.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.