Hazen's Ayling Is Quick, Fast, Strong And Fun To Watch -- Highlanders Seek Third Straight Semifinal Berth

RENTON - Stuart Ayling remembers his first big-time football game, when he was a little-known sophomore at Hazen High School.

The Highlanders trailed O'Dea early in the second half of the 1991 state Class AA semifinal game at the Tacoma Dome. Ayling, a somewhat scrawny 5 feet 10 and 150 pounds at the time, felt fortunate to be a special-teams player. Unexpectedly, he was sent in at nose guard.

"I don't know if I was nervous or shocked," he said. "Back then, I was pretty small. I remember the center and guard started laughing. That didn't help at all. I was pretty nervous, but I did all right."

Ayling has done more than all right ever since. Although he has grown some (6-0, 170), he's still not the type to strike fear in his opponents at first sight. Yet he's a big-time player for the unbeaten, second-ranked Highlanders (10-0), who play fourth-ranked Gig Harbor (10-0) tomorrow night at Lakewood Stadium in the quarterfinals. No one laughs at him now.

Ayling, a senior, earned All-Seamount League first-team honors at both offensive guard and outside linebacker. He also was voted offensive lineman of the year, which he learned only yesterday.

"Wow, that's great," he said when Hazen Coach Rick Stubrud verified the selection, something he had forgotten to do after last week's vote.

What Ayling lacks in size, he makes up for in speed and strength. He was one of top wrestlers in the Seamount last season and just missed placing in the 168-pound class at state last year.

"He's just a powerful kid," Stubrud said. "He packs a great punch. Fundamentally, he's very sound. . . . His biggest asset is he is fast, quick. If we run our sweep, Stuart is there. Watching film from last year, (running back Nic) Grauer would be downfield, but Stuart was there with him. He was out in front. It's fun to watch."

Not so much fun for opposing coaches.

"He's a good one, no question about it," Liberty Coach Mark Hester said. "He's pretty quick, and he has great technique. He seems to be always in the play. He can get out in front and block people."

Ayling didn't start playing football until his freshman year and then only turned out to get in shape for wrestling, which he started when he was in grade school and had considered his No. 1 sport for years.

"Now I like football better," he said.

It rates right up there with drawing and music, his other two passions.

"I draw all the time," he said.

Sometimes when he shouldn't, like in class, but mostly at home in his room with his stereo blaring. People are his favorite subjects.

Ayling also draws upon his athletic experiences to fuel his artistic imagination:

-- After losing at the state wrestling tournament last season, he drew a picture of himself with his arms raised after winning a state championship. That's his vision for the 1993-94 wrestling season.

-- After Grauer rushed for more than 200 yards in last season's football victory over Kennedy, Ayling drew a scene where he was out front as a lead blocker, and Grauer was cutting behind him.

Stubrud points out said that Ayling is a popular kid, especially with the girls. His dark, wavy hair and poster smile have earned him the nicknames "Pretty Boy" and "GQ" on the team.

Stubrud said that Ayling has been a key to the Highlanders' picture-perfect season thus far.

"There's no doubt he's been real critical for us," Stubrud said.

Ayling is the lone returning starter on the offensive line and one of the Highlanders' co-captains along with Grauer, Nic Chiechi and Joel Schaefer.

"We're the four horsemen," Ayling said. "We've been friends forever. We do everything together."

Together, they hope to lead the Highlanders to the Tacoma Dome for the third straight year. They lost to O'Dea the past two times they reached the semifinals. Ayling aches for a return trip, but realizes Gig Harbor presents the big challenge right now. Still, he is confident.

"If we play as good as we can, we can beat any team," Ayling said. "Right now, we're competing with ourselves. We have to play to our level."

Tomorrow's winner faces the Capital-Sehome winner in the semifinals on Nov. 26 in Tacoma.