Two-Way Star to Lead Heritage

Anyone wanting to see good safety play needs to look no further than Heritage High School, where the class of 2010s Mitch Griebel roams the secondary dishing out big hits and causing headaches for opposing offenses.

As a sophomore Griebel had 88 tackles last year and was a second-team all-league selection at defensive back. He was the first Heritage High player ever to be all league as a freshman, but he really made a name for himself with his ability to deliver the big hit.

“I would describe myself as a hitter,” said Griebel, who showed good cover skills last year with eight interceptions. “I like to punish people going across the middle."

Griebel has started every game at safety since his freshman year.

Not many people know about Griebel, the safety, as they know him more for his ability to run the Heritage offense. He was the quarterback last year who threw for over 2,500 yards as a sophomore with 14 touchdowns. He also ran for more then 500 yards.

"I like offense cause I like to score TD'S but I'm a football player and football player's love to hit." Griebel said.

Griebel said that losing his favorite target from last year, Brandon Kauffman, who blew his knee out at a recent summer camp, will be hard to replace, but the Eagles can still get it done.

"We have the big guy's and we have a good running back in Jordan Delbaugh so we should be able to run, but we will definitely still throw the ball," Griebel said.

"We really played well in the summer contact camp and did real well against Mullen and Bear Creek so we know we can play with anyone."

Griebel, who runs a 4.6 40-yard dash, has no choice but to get it done in the classroom as well. With his Dad being the head football coach as well as a teacher has his mom, a teacher and head gymnastics coach (both at Heritage, there’s always someone watching.

Heritage will not have to go through the likes of Mullen this year because they are moving down to play 4A football this next year due to a smaller enrollment.

They will take last year’s quarterfinal loss to Grandview and use that experience along with a trip to Florida to start off the 2008 season against a 6A team from Orlando.

That and a lot of depth will make the Eagles one of the teams to beat in 4A this year. It doesn’t hurt having a two-way star either.