High school football: John Ursua, Westlake making plenty of noise

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Life is much different for John Ursua playing at quarterback.

When Ursua played at slot receiver a year ago, his primary concern boiled down to running the right routes and finding ways to get open. These days, football games for him involve more than getting down a few routes.

Ursua is counted on to understand exactly what the offense should be doing and anticipate how a defense is going to react on every play.

"I have learned more this year than any other year I've played football, just because I'm out there and I have to know everything that is going on," Ursua said.

A position switch for Ursua turned out to be more than a good idea. It has made Westlake wildly successful in just the second year of the school's existence.

The Thunder are 6-1 so far this year after posting a 4-6 record in their debut season. Ursua is a huge part of that success. He's thrown for 1,314 yards and 17 touchdowns while completing nearly 60 percent of his passes. On the ground, he has piled up 575 yards and 10 touchdowns on 49 carries.

Westlake coach Jason Walker saw Ursua as the perfect candidate to man the controls of his team's run-oriented offense. Ursua's quickness gave the Thunder some much-needed mobility under center. And his ability to make plays through the air offers a balance that keeps opposing defenses off balance through four quarters.

"It absolutely makes us more dangerous," Walker said. "You can't over-scheme for one or the other. You really have to respect both the run and the pass. It's kind of picking your poison."

One thing that has helped Ursua transition so smoothly into his current role is his experience at receiver. As a quarterback, he has had to concentrate more on learning all the plays. But Ursua also understood what goes on in the mind of a receiver.

He knows how to get them the ball. And he understands how to create something out of nothing when the defense moves in to close things down. "I work to the best of my abilities to make a play for the team," Ursua said.

Walker points to Ursua's dedication to becoming better in every aspect of the game as the driving force behind his fantastic junior season. Ursua, he said, has a long-term vision of what he wants to accomplish and is willing to put in the work and make the sacrifices to get there.

"A lot of things do come easy for John, but he doesn't rest on his laurels," Walker said. "He's always striving to improve himself. He's got goals beyond high school, and he's starting on those (goals) and getting himself ready for that (next step) now. "