MERKEL — When initially asked to talk about his sophomore quarterback Easton Malone, Merkel coach Wes Wood asked in return: “Do you want me to speak for three hours? The kid’s a stud.” 

And in all likelihood, the 16-year old will be a key element in whatever success the Badgers taste over the next three seasons. So Wood was tempted to speak at great length about the MHS standout. 

“I think the quarterback position is one of the hardest things to play in all of sports across the board,” Wood said. “But (Malone) carries it so well. Being thrown to the wolves last year as a freshman. We questioned even pulling freshmen up (to varsity) but we looked at the numbers and we had to. 

“He played pretty much every snap as a linebacker and he became our best (quarterback) option and got baptized by Lubbock Trinity Christian and by Wall.”