Senior Spotlight: Pieterick looks to finish varsity sports career in style

Widely regarded as the Jordy Nelson of the FVA, senior Max Pieterick is ready to moss fools on the gridiron this year. Under a new head coach, Pieterick is hoping to end his football career with a bang after an absence last year. He is looking to pick up where he left off after putting in hours of hard work in the offseason.

“I expect a lot of things from myself and my team,” he said. “Since I took a year off I have a lot of ground to make up, but knowing how much work I have put into the off-season, I expect nothing less than to win every game, and to make an impact on the field, especially knowing how committed our guys have been.”

The team hopes to add a key piece back to the team with Pieterick. As his teammate, senior Kyle Weister is excited to see what they missed from the previous season.

“I expect all of his catches will be for big yards, and I want to see a lot of touchdowns from Max,” Weister said. “He brings energy and a positive attitude to the team. I’d say his biggest strength on the field is his ability to run routes and catch long balls.”

Senior David Kohl is excited to have another person to sling passes to, and having a strong connection off the field helps the duo on the field tremendously. 

“Max and I have been good friends for a while and we have always seemed to play well together,” he said. “I think that we are able to trust each other on the field. I trust that he is able to run good routes, make good blocks, and catch my passes. I think we’ll perform better this year, knowing that I trust him and that he trusts me.”

Kohl is excited to be playing with Pieterick, especially in their final season. He also looks forward to building their relationship further on the field.

“I've thrown more touchdowns to Max than anyone else in my career, so I am especially excited to be able to throw to him after his year off,” he said. “I would compare Max and I to Russ Wilson and DK Metcalf. I am a smaller quarterback that can run and Max’s height, weight, and speed are pretty similar to DK.”

Pieterick says that there is something special about the game of football, which is why he decided to play again this year.

“It's amazing how close you get with some guys you may have never talked to before, and it allows you all to go through it together,” he said. “Whether it's injuries, a tough practice, or tough games. You all grind it out together, and leave your mark on the field to perform for yourself, and the guys who are putting in work around you.”

In past years, Pieterick was a two sport athlete, playing varsity basketball since he was a sophomore. But this year with the impact of COVID-19, Pieterick decided to not participate in West hoops.

“I definitely will miss playing basketball this year,” he said. “I will always have a special place in my heart for Oshkosh West basketball.”

That didn’t mean Pieterick was putting down the basketball for good. Instead, he decided to pick up recreational basketball and play with his buddies on team Fresh out the Wash.

“Rec ball really surprises you with the competition; we played a lot of good people this  season,” he said. “But the biggest difference is the amount of work you have to put in for West hoops. Grinding out the season from October to March and working hard almost every day versus a seven game rec ball season is like comparing apples to oranges.”

Senior Zach Rebholz has played basketball with Pieterick for as long as he can remember, playing OWBC back in the day. He thinks that even though Pieterick is not playing high school basketball, Pieterick still has a competitive spirit.

“I think Max has a great feel for the game,” Rebholz said. “The moment he steps onto the court he is locked in. He is a great defender and can drop 30 on anyone who guards him.”

Rebholz believes Pieterick is much more confident and comfortable playing in the recreational center.

“In West hoops he was more conservative with his shots and scoring, but in rec ball he just kind of let loose,” Rebholz said. “This confidence led to him averaging over 20 points per game in rec.”

High school sports have played a huge role in Pieterick’s high school experience with memories that he will carry on for the rest of his life. Though the senior prefers the gridiron, there is one memory that will stick with Pieterick forever.

“I remember the first time we ended Oshkosh North's win streak against us,” he said. “The amount of energy that game had and how loud and excited our team was to win that game is something I will never forget.”

by Drew Lasky

Published March 25, 2021

Oshkosh West Index Volume 117 Issue VI