EVERETT — Andy Smith and Connor Varnell have been playing football together for a good 10 years, and they’ve been friends for even longer.
One of those relationships ended May 26 at the Class 3A/4A East-West All Star Football Game at Everett Memorial Stadium.
“It’s been great all week and a cool experience to have Andy here because we’ve been literally best friends like our whole lives,” said Varnell. “And it’s nice to have a teammate on the team.”
Arlington fans will remember Smith, quarterback, connecting with Varnell, receiver, all season in 2009 to help the Eagles to a 5-6 record. Their performances were of the caliber that they were nominated as the state’s best seniors and coached by Mark Stewart, who has instructed the team for four years.
“It’s too bad Andy is going to Western (Washington University) because he is one of those kids that a number of college coaches would love to get their hands on,” Stewart said. “He’s just a kid that can make a lot of throws and is very coachable. You tell him what we’re going to do and he just gets it.”
Naturally that kind of ability helps any receiver, but Stewart also noted Varnell’s ability to move the chains.
“He’s a hard-worker with good hands and that part really helps him,” Stewart said. “Having those two together helps because we can bring in what they do and tweak it to fit what we’re going for. Those things are quick and easy changes.”
With a teammate from high school on the team, Varnell and Smith had an advantage over most of the players both on and off the field, as they were able to bring a friend to the gridiron the first day, but the two said that all changed pretty quickly.
“There’s a bit shyness at the start, but that goes away pretty quickly and you make friends with your roommates,” said Smith.
Each player shared a hotel room in Everett with a pair of roomies from either the West or East team.
On the field, however, the East dominated the West to the tune of a 28-9 loss behind a spectacular aerial attack.
Both Smith and Varnell started for West, which has now taken three consecutive losses in the annual contests.
With that, the two finish their teammate relationship, as Smith will go to Western which cancelled its football program two years ago and Varnell will go on to play for Linfield College in Oregon.
“I’m fine with it,” said Smith about ending his football career. “We won our last game against Cascade this season (29-7) and that was cool, but this is a nice capper to end it.”
Varnell, on the other hand, is looking forward to lacing up his cleats for another four years.
“I’m ready to see what I can do and it’s going to be a blast.”
The friendship, however, doesn’t need a football to connect the two.
