SERVPRO Athlete of the Week: Minot High’s Tyson Ruzicka

MINOT, N.D. (KMOT) - Tyson is running out of room on his helmet.

“Are you worried that at some point it’s just going to be full of stickers?” Your News Leader asked Tyson Ruzicka, a senior at Minot High.

“I’m not too worried. There’s a lot of room on here,” said Ruzicka.

If you’re looking for proof of Ruzicka’s dominance, bring out his bucket.

“(The stickers) are for good plays, like working hard every time and, you know, when you chuck somebody, you’d get a big hit, get a couple more. So got a few those, and I got some touchdowns on the front,” said Ruzicka.

While his hard hat may have limited space left, he always seems to find room on the field.

“You can give him the ball in any space, any scenario and know he’s going to make a play to the best of his ability,” said Lucas Beeter, a senior at Minot High.

Minot’s senior running back has scored four rushing touchdowns in the Magi’s first three games.

It may seem like Ruzicka makes everyone else’s job easier.

“It feels great knowing that even when I’m not doing my job as perfectly as I could be, that he’s still able to make the play,” said Jobe Rystedt, a senior at Minot High.

This celeb would never take credit.

“Tyson would be the first to tell you it takes the other ten guys out there as well. He complements them very well,” said Minot High head coach Chauncy Hendershot.

“Seeing like how happy our guys, and especially my linemen, are after every big play, like they always come up to me like I’m the one that did it, but if you look at the touchdowns most of the time, there was a wide open hole like anybody could have done that,” said Ruzicka.

Maybe not just anyone...

“He’s a great kid. One of my best friends. He’s really athletic, the kid can fly. Kid is speedy,” said Logan Conklin, a senior at Minot High.

The way he treats others off the field is why he’s actually admired.

“He’s just a guy who is there. He’s a guy to laugh with, to talk with, if you need something to talk about or something is on your chest, you can let it out on him. He’ll pick you back up,” said Conklin.

“He’s really nice, he’s always there if you need something. Here, out on the football field, he picks up everyone through good or bad,” said Beeter.

While others played, he was patient.

“He’s a good example of delayed gratification. He’s worked extremely hard. We knew he had some talent as a freshman and I would say from his sophomore to junior year he just took off,” said Hendershot.

Ruzicka’s tactics are tried and true.

“He’s just gotten to work, he’s an everyday guy. That pays off in the end and it certainly has for him,” said Hendershot.

Even if there’s always room for improvement.

“Keep working every day and just keep pushing that rock up the mountain,” said Ruzicka.

Minot High plays at Century this Friday night.

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