Rylan Matters first picked up the pigskin as an atom-level player in the Prince George Minor Football Association.
Playing quarterback, he scored a touchdown in the seven- to nine-year-old age category. He never looked back.
Several downs and seasons later, Matters - now a 17-year-old, six-foot, 190-pound starting pivot for the Duchess Park Condors senior double-A varsity squad - is regarded as one of the best high school players in Prince George and one of the top 10 in the province.
"A lot of [coaches] have called Rylan the best player to come out of Prince George in 20 years," said long-time Condors coach Mike Rositano. "He's the most talented. He can play linebacker, and safety, but his strong point is at quarterback.
"There are some phenomenal players in B.C. right now, but Rylan will be amongst the top-10 players going into his senior year."
Rositano has coached Matters since the minor peewee level and has seen his star pupil improve year after year.
"It's his maturity, he's a great athlete and known to throw the deep ball," said Rositano. "He can manage the pressure. He's really learned to understand defences. That takes years to develop, to see different defences."
Matters has the stats to back up Rositano's words. As a Grade 11 player in 2013, he was the top-rated pivot at the senior varsity double-A level in the B.C. High School Football Association.
In seven regular-season games, his stats were impressive.
Matters led all quarterbacks in passing completion percentage at 69.6 per cent; average yards per game at 211.43; touchdown strikes (21); and touchdown completion (16.8 per cent). His accuracy was impeccable, with only one interception. His longest pass and run completion was 91 yards, tops amongst the 20 pivots from around the province. He also tossed for 1,140 yards on the season.
His closest competitor, Alex Ho of Abbotford's Rick Hansen secondary, averaged 204.43 passing yards per game.
Matters credits his naturally strong arm and his ability to get out of trouble in the backfield for his success.
"I can toss the ball 55 to 60 yards, that's something that always came naturally," he said. "I'm a pocket passer, but if I need to I can scramble. That versatility helps. I like to make plays, but when a play breaks down, I know how to fix it and go into the open field. I'm now more relaxed and confident and being a leader."
He also credits his success in the 2013 high school season to attending the invitational Top Gun Football University camp last summer in Columbus, Ohio, where he trained with the top 40 quarterbacks in North America in his age group.
"I was really intimidated going in, but halfway through, it wasn't that bad," he said. "I felt I belonged. Position-wise, it was learning to read defences."
In 2013, Matters led the Condors to a 7-0 regular season record in the B.C. High School Football Association Northern Conference.
The Condors then beat cross-town rival College Heights in the conference final (a 33-0 shutout) before falling in the first round of provincial playoffs to Surrey's Frank Hurt secondary 27-18.
Matters was named a Northern Conference all-star as offensive MVP.
Matters has been the starting pivot for the senior varsity Condors since Grade 8. He's learned a lot since then.
"When you're younger you can just throw the ball," he said. "Now that I'm older, you need to read defences to get better and know your surroundings."
Putting a quarterback in the starter role as a Grade 8 player doesn't happen very often, said Rositano, who's coached football for 23 years.
"It's very unusual to see a kid who can start at the senior level in Grade 8. Some play a little bit but don't start. Rylan's got mobility. He'll take the ball and run with it.
"He's got the strong arm and a calmness on the field. He commands the offence when he's running it. He can also call plays on the fly and run his own patterns because he can see the defence better than I can."
Matters has been fine-tuning his game during the off-season. Last weekend in Nanaimo, he attended the Vancouver Island Raiders spring camp as a potential future prospect.
The Raiders coaches were so impressed with him they offered him a spot in the lineup. He'll play five games for them this summer prior to starting his senior season with the Condors in the fall.
The Raiders are one of the top squads in the Canadian Junior Football League. They're ranked No. 2 in the country, having lost the 2013 national final to the Regina Thunder.
Matters was one of a handful of Grade 11 players in the province to attend the camp.
"I hope to improve as a quarterback and I want to see what the next level is," he said prior to going to Vancouver Island. "But I'm excited. I definitely want to play CIS [Canadian Interuniversity Sport] too."
"Rylan's got good grades so he could play at the CIS level," added Rositano. "Or he could spend one or two years playing Canadian junior football then go to university. He has the potential to make a NCAA Div. 2 school in the U.S."
On May 24, Matters will compete for B.C.'s Rising Stars squad in the annual Alberta B.C. All-Star Border Bowl in Lacombe, Alta. The game pits the best players from both provinces against each other.
He played in the annual grudge match in 2013 too, as a receiver.
The Condors will have the majority of their 2013 team returning as seniors.
"I've played with most of the Condors since minor football," said Matters. "We have a lot of team chemistry. We're looking for our best year yet and have high hopes for the playoffs."
