Metro Christian's Andrew Hearon skips London trip to play in All-State football game

BY BARRY LEWIS World Sports Writer
Saturday, July 28, 2012
7/28/12 at 5:57 AM

Metro Christian quarterback Andrew Hearon had a chance to be in London for the Olympic opening ceremonies Friday night.

Hearon instead chose to play in the All-State Football Game at Union-Tuttle Stadium.

"I would have been there (London) tonight at the opening ceremony," Hearon said.

But for Hearon, it was well worth it to stay in Tulsa as he passed for 153 yards and a touchdown for the East in a 33-19 loss to the West.

Before the game, Hearon was announced as the winner of the Oklahoma Coaches Association's Jim Thorpe Award as the state's football player of the year.

"It's a big honor with everything that the award entails, not just for football but character stuff," Hearon said. "I really appreciate it.

"I was a little surprised. I thought they would give it to (Anadarko running back) Sheldon (Wilson) or (McAlester quarterback) Tony (Kiefer) or one of the others (finalists). I thought there was no way I would get that. I just feel real blessed to have gotten it."

Hearon nearly rallied the East from a 26-7 deficit in the fourth quarter. His 30-yard pass to Catoosa's Cole Scheulen and 6-yard keeper set up Scheulen's 1-yard TD run that made it 26-19 with 1:37 left, but the West clinched the win by recovering the ensuing onside kick before Putnam City's Casey Curtis scored on a 24-yard scamper to seal the outcome with two seconds remaining.

Hearon also set up a 36-yard field goal by Booker T. Washington's Tom Carwile with 8:41 left as he connected with Hilldale's Jarrard Poteete for a 40-yard completion.

Hearon, who split time at QB with Kiefer, produced the East's first points with a 65-yard TD bomb to Bristow's Lexus Jackson late in the first quarter.

The All-State Game capped an amazing last two high school seasons for Hearon, who passed for 7,619 yards and 91 touchdowns during that span for the Patriots. Last year, he passed for 3,719 yards and 42 TDs with only five interceptions as he led the Patriots to a 12-1 record.

In addition to the Thorpe Award, Hearon also was earlier named Gatorade's state player of the year and the Tulsa World's metro player of the year. Also, he was the Playing With Purpose male national scholarship winner. The PWP scholarship program recognized and rewards Christian athletes who make a positive impact in their schools and communities.

Hearon could have been on Playing With Purpose's overseas sports camp trip to Belgium and London that runs through Aug. 5.

"I wanted to play in the All-State Game and it would have been too much of a rush for college and hopefully go overseas some other time," said Hearon, who will continue his football career at Carnegie-Mellon in Pittsburgh.

Although he didn't make the overseas trip, he did make a PWP sports mission trip in June to Baton Rouge, La.

"We taught sports to underprivileged kids," Hearon said. "That was fun. When you see kids in those surroundings, I realize how blessed I am here to play football and do what I do. It makes me feel more appreciate about what I have."

Hearon also has spent the summer working out as he prepares to launch his college career. When he hasn't been working out or on a mission trip, he has been involved in another passion - golf - working as a caddie at Southern Hills.

"That has allowed me to create my own work schedule around my workouts," Hearon said. "I love golf and I always wanted to play there. Caddies get to play on Mondays."

Hearon's workouts include throwing to his father, Wayne, who has noticed that his son's velocity has increased over the past two years.

"I used to be able to catch his passes with both my thumbs no problem, but now if I do that they'll be bent back," Wayne Hearon said. "He's throwing pretty hard now. I've got to wear gloves to catch his passes."

Hearon will major in civil engineering at Carnegie-Mellon, which is located just a mile away from Heinz Field, home of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Hearon plans to take advantage of getting to watch the Steelers play as well as going to Pittsburgh Pirates games, particularly when they are playing his favorite baseball team, the Cincinnati Reds.

Hearon will report to Carnegie-Mellon for football practice on Aug. 8.

"It's a really good school that seemed to be the best place to pursue my education and football goals," Hearon said.
Original Print Headline: Hearon shines one more time

Barry Lewis 918-581-8393
barry.lewis@tulsaworld.com

Associated Images:

East quarterback Andrew Hearon passes against the West during the All-State game Friday. MICHAEL WYKE/Tulsa World