Yahsha making a difference for G.B. Southwest
Pat Wallace made two predictions before the season.
The Green Bay Southwest co-head coach felt his team may only end up winning two or three games, and he thought junior Josh Yahsha was going to have a breakout year.
Wallace couldn’t be happier that he was way off on the first prediction, but he ended up being spot on with the latter.
Yahsha has been a difference maker on the Trojans’ improbable road to the WIAA Division 2 state semifinals.
“He just makes things happen,” said Wallace, whose team plays Waunakee Friday at Menasha.
Yahsha led the Fox River Classic Conference with six interceptions during the regular season and has added three more in the playoffs, including two against Menomonie last week to help Southwest punch its ticket to the state semifinals for the second time in program history and first since 2011.
Not bad for someone that wasn’t in the starting lineup in Week 1.
“He was one of those kids that just had to be given a shot,” Wallace said. “Once he got in there, you couldn’t leave him off the field because he was making things happen. Everyone seems to want to go after Josh and leave (Kaleb) Keener alone. I’m sure that has to do something with the lack of his height, but heck, the guy makes plays.”
This is Yahsha’s second year at Green Bay Southwest.
After growing up in Michigan, he came to Green Bay in seventh grade before moving back to Grand Rapids as a freshman and then returning to Wisconsin a year later.
The 5-foot-8, 160-pounder was mainly a scout team player as a sophomore before making a name for himself as a cornerback this season.
Still, his last name is often misspelled as the first ‘h’ is often omitted on rosters.
But there is no questioning Yahsha’s heart. He’s shown plenty of that.
It ended up being the difference when Yahsha tore the ball away from Brenden Johnston – a 6-foot-5 receiver for Menomonie – following a fade route at the end of Southwest’s 16-14 victory last week to seal the game with the interception.
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“He had the ball right in his hands and Josh basically just took it away,” Southwest co-head coach Tim Birr said.
“You look at any good cornerback, even the best ones in the NFL, are going to get beat sometimes. But the biggest thing is how do they bounce back? Those guys have short memories. They forget about stuff and then play the next play. That’s what Josh has been able to do.”
The next challenge for the Trojans (11-1) is a big one to say the least.
Waunakee (12-0) is undefeated and the top-ranked team in D2. It has outscored opponents 615-74 this season.
The Warriors possess a thunder-and-lightning combination on offense made up of Javian Dayne and L.O. Johnson. Yes, Dayne would be the son of the legendary University of Wisconsin running back, while Johnson was the state champion in the 100-meter dash in June.
The duo has combined for over 2,500 rushing yards and 39 touchdowns this season.
You usually might not think of a cornerback playing a crucial role in containing an opponent’s running game, but Yahsha has been doing just that.
He had 10 tackles last week against Menomonie. In the second round, he squared up for a tackle in the open field on Pulaski’s first series of the game that set the tone for the Trojans.
“The main thing is he’s willing to put his neck on the line and gets the job done,” Birr said. “He really hasn’t had a ton of missed tackles.
“That’s going to be a big thing this week. You’re going to have a pretty good-sized tailback at times coming at him, and we feel pretty confident that he’s going to be able to get the job done.”
Regardless of the result Friday, it’s been a job well done by the Southwest football team this season.
Yahsha is one of the many players that can serve as a microcosm of what the Trojans have been all about this season in proving people wrong – and right – this year.
“We wouldn’t be here without him,” Wallace said.
“He can drive you nuts as a coach. Our team is so loose that you just don’t know sometimes, and you sense that with Josh. But when the lights go on you don’t have to worry. You know he’s going to do the best he can. I think he fits that role really well. He’s just another example of how you get those unsung heroes on a team.
“It’s a beautiful time. It’s been a while since we had to worry about daylight savings time. It’s kind of a different feeling, but what a ride. We’re hoping to continue it here. We’ll put our best foot forward and let the chips fall where they may.”
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