BY PETE MOHR | JULY 7, 2010

Meet the Football Falcon Seniors …
Joree Schneider

Creekers Brady and Noelle Schneider parent four sons, each of whom have been uniquely given five-letter first names. At 9, 8, and 6, respectively, Jerik, Jaxen and Jalen are the biggest fans of oldest brother, Joree, the fastest Football Falcon, who turns 17 on September 12, three days after the Falcs host Greenway in the second game of the 2010 season.

Fearless is the word that best describes 5’7”, 160 lbs. Joree Schneider. Fearless, as in choosing No. 14 – the jersey worn by 2008 MVP Danny Trittler, who defected to Chaparral in late-Spring 2009. “At first,” Schneider recalls, “I was looking at No. 4; but No. 14 has a 4 in it: I thought, ‘Danny’s gone, so why not?’ Right then, I knew I had to do everything I possibly could to be better than he’d been.”

Did he succeed? Eleven touchdowns (seven receiving, three rushing and a 97-yard kickoff return against Sunnyslope) speak for themselves. In the Sept. 4 opener at then #3-ranked Cienega, the Falcons trailed, 26-32, facing a fourth-and-ten last play from the Bobcat 32.

Paul Walsh takes the snap, tosses perfectly to flanked-out Dillon Classen, who finds Schneider wide open – but falling backward – in the right front of the end zone. He remembers to this interviewer, “I knew I had to catch that ball!” And he did. Bryce Redmond nailed the P.A.T.; and the Falcons went home 33-32 believers in themselves, springboarding to their eventual 11-1 season. For his three-touchdown performance, Head Coach Chad DeGrenier awarded Schneider the “O” Game Ball.

What does being a Football Falcon mean to Joree? “To have the pride and swagger of just being a part of the team. I love it! I hold that high above everything else!”

What about the 2010 seniors? “We have a lot of the same qualities as last season’s 14; but I think we need to be more vocal and show greater confidence in our leadership. Hey! It’s early. We’ll get there.”

In Passing League Tournaments play, Joree and classmate John Leonard have been sophomore quarterback Bryce Kinsler’s favorite receivers: “I see Bryce doing great! He has his own touch … throws a perfect spiral … he’s lookin’ good!”

A solid 3.8 GPA student, snowboarding enthusiast Schneider is hoping to play at the next level. NAU is showing the most active interest; but Joree has appreciatively booked inquiries from U of A, San Diego State and Ivys Penn, Princeton and Harvard. Fearlessness and speed get college recruiters’ attention. Speaking of speed, Joree led off the Boys 4x100m relay team (Schneider and ‘10ers Ryan Toomey, Tommy Murphy, Geoff Byers) which set a new CSHS mark at May 7 Desert Sky Regionals.

What goal for his senior season? “I’ve got to finish the job (trumping Trittler) by playingbetter.” You see, determination and focus are big parts of Joree Schneider’s fearlessness. And I’m looking forward to greeting him, as I always do, before each game, “Big game tonight, Joree. I feel it!”

He’s never let me down – or, most importantly, himself.