For athletes to whom much is given, much is required by their fans.

It seemingly has been that way forever. Goes with the territory.

Or, in the case of Siuslaw Vikings multi-sport standout Trent Reavis, at 6-foot-7, it goes with the altitude.

Big things are expected.

In track and field, Reavis is expected to break one of the school's oldest records, in the boys shot put.

In basketball, Reavis is expected to anchor a talented junior-dominated team, returning the Vikings to the glory days of their new coach, Dylan Perry.

And in football this fall, many expected Reavis to be chucking touchdown pass after touchdown pass into the night at Hans Petersen Field. But it's junior classmate Jared Brandt, another multi-sport talent, who will be taking snaps from senior center Michael Larson.

"I'm going to be a tight end this year, and I'm totally fine with that," Reavis said Friday, after launching three TD passes to lead the Blue to a 20-14 triumph in the Vikings' annual Blue-Gold Game at Hans Petersen Field.

"It's football, and I love playing football."

Brandt threw a pair of touchdown passes himself Friday and ran for a 2-point conversion to account for the Gold's 14 points.

It was de ja vu all over again for the two good friends.

"Me and him, we go way back, to elementary school and flag football," Reavis said. "We were going up against each other then, now we're on the same team.

"We're brothers, and we're really good friends, and that's all that matters."

It's not that he is uncomfortable with the win, which came on the last play of the game, a 28-yard score to senior Brogan Cornish to snap a 14-14 tie.

"Obviously we want to win," Reavis said. "We're guys, you know, testosterone. It's about having fun, getting better and learning stuff."

The possible pairing of Reavis and Brandt in football, basketball and baseball through their high school years took a hit in the fifth grade, when Reavis broke an elbow.

"I really didn't do anything (in the spring) until my freshman year," Reavis said. "I was going to do baseball, but the family talked me into trying track."

His improvement has been parabolic. Reavis was 10th in the state in the shot put as a freshman, and third last spring, when he came within a foot of breaking the school record of 52 feet, 1 inch set by Bruce Plaep in 1972.

Reavis went 51-2.5 early in the season (April 2) at the Junction City Invitational. That still stands as his personal best. He went 48-3 to win district and 50-0.25 at state.

With two full years of high school remaining, track and field may be his ultimate destination. He's bulked up to 220 pounds with the help of the school's new weight equipment.

"Trent has the potential to be very successful in track and field at the college level," Vikings athletic director Chris Johnson said. Johnson also is the school's successful cross country and track and field coach, though much of Reavis' mentoring in track is thanks to assistants Pat Towne and Max Perry.

"Obviously, if he's going to be a thrower, he'll want to add some weight," Johnson said. "That will come with time and more years in the weight room.

"We think he has the potential to be a decathlete, and we may explore some other event areas this spring with that in mind."

So much potential, so many options.

In football, he says he likes all his options. He just wants to play.

And he loves first-year coach Jamin Pool's new wide-open offense, while appreciating what he learned under head coach Tim Dodson, who retired after last school year.

"The offense is obviously a huge difference," Reavis said. "But there are so many of the same aspects (as last season), so many of the same blocking patterns.

"There's different ways to do things, assignments, but the form, the techniques, really haven't changed."

The first test for Reavis and the Vikings is Friday at Elmira, where he will be a big target on offense and a big obstacle for the Falcons on defense.

"We've got to play our game, be physical," Reavis said. "We play our game, we'll win."



That's what he and Vikings fans everywhere expect.