It is the last play. A show of sportsmanship by the home team. A 45-yard gallop into the end zone.
But this isn't how Phoenix Brophy Prep freshman running back Adonis Watt, 14, wants his first high school football game to end – a scripted feel-good moment with nobody from Gilbert Highland attempting to defend him.
He isn't asking for a gift touchdown because he's completely blind.
"He would prefer them tackling him," says Veronica Watt, Adonis' mom.
...
– How he was floating in a swimming pool at age 5, looking into the clouds, submerging in the water, only to come out unable to see.
– How he later smacked his face into a door knob, scratching his eye.
– How he still couldn't see the next day.
– How he had surgeries on his eyes to alleviate pressure, and still couldn't see.
– How he was diagnosed with a rare condition of congenital glaucoma.
– How he told his mom and dad no more surgeries, explaining, "I can still see; I just see differently."
Over time, his vision faded gradually, until it was completely gone.
...
"He wanted to be better than me at everything," Jordan says. "I had to make sure he wasn't better than me at anything. A handout in our household is, 'If you want something, you outwork everyone for it.' "
Heideman puts Watt in at noseguard in the second half against Highland. He takes on a double team that opens it up for teammates to gobble up the ball carrier at the line of scrimmage.
"He's got a spacial awareness that is impressive," Heideman says. "He's been around Brophy for three weeks and he's very independent. He's always mapping it out. I'm always astonished at how he gets from place to place, let alone find holes and places on the field that he's going to fit into."
"He doesn't know he should be afraid," Veronica Watt says. "I don’t think he’s afraid of anything. He thinks he’s as big and strong as everybody else."
