It was a performance that will be talked about for quite some time by those who witnessed the Indiana Class 3A championship between Gibson Southern and Brebeuf Jesuit in December.
While the two team's quarterbacks lit up the scoreboard and stole the show, it was the play of Brebeuf Jesuit wide receiver Max Walters that impressed many in attendance, as the senior Walters caught 13 passes for 210 yards and three scores in a 45-35 loss.
"The state game obviously had the highest stakes of any game I had ever played in, so I knew I had to be locked especially for that one. I made sure I stayed focused and didn’t focus on the bright lights and went out and did my thing," Walters told Heartland Sports Report. It was a performance that caught a lot of attention and raised a lot of eyebrows, but Walters admits he was not surprised by how he played on the biggest stage.
"I always knew what I was capable of, and I was finally able to put that on full display my senior year and in the state championship game. I attribute a huge amount of my success to my quarterback Nolan Buckman. He was only a junior this year, but he was making some insane throws that helped make me look good. It helped a lot to have a quarterback that could put it anywhere on the field and I can't wait to see what he does in his senior season. My head coach, Matt Geske, also believed in me and put me in situations all year to succeed. He welcomed me as a new player to Brebeuf this year, and I wouldn't have accomplished what I did without him and all my other coaches at Brebeuf Jesuit," Walters told Heartland Sports Report.
Prior to arriving at Brebeuf Jesuit, Walters was a standout for Carmel High School (IN), a program that has had plenty of success on the Class 6A level in recent years.
Walters said the transition from Carmel to Brebeuf Jesuit was an easy one for him.
"I made the switch to be with my brother, who was a junior linebacker for us this year. All the guys at Brebeuf were super cool to me and accepted me from day one. We had the expectation of playing for a state championship this year, and while we weren’t able to win it, I’m still super proud of this team and the season we had," Walters said.
Having success at Carmel helped prepare the senior wide receiver for a successful season with Brebeuf Jesuit, who entered the season as a favorite for a state crown.
"I was very fortunate to come from a program that is as successful as Carmel. I was lucky enough to be a part of a team that won the state championship my sophomore year so seeing what that team was like and what it took to get there definitely helped in my senior season state run," Walters said.
In his lone season at Brebeuf Jesuit, Walters hauled in 97 receptions for 1,506 yards and 19 trips to the end zone. And, the success of that season has started drawing the attention of college coaches, according to Walters.
"I’m starting to get attention from coaches after having zero interest after my junior season. I’ve picked up a couple D1 offers that I’m super excited about but haven’t made a decision yet on where I’ll be going," Walters told HSR.
Currently, Valpo and Colgate have extended offers to Walters. As for what he is looking for in a school, he has a few ideas.
"I’m looking for a school that can put my in the best position both academically and football wise. Finding the best blend is important to me," he said.
When it comes to what he has heard from coaches, Walters told HSR a lot of the conversation centers around his big play ability.
"My big play ability is what coaches like most about me. I had a lot of long plays this year and my speed has allowed me to make that happen. College coaches also love versatility and me being a two way guy definitely helps with that," Walters said.
Those comments are welcomed by Walters, who prides himself on being a wide receiver who is able to make any play and catch.
"I have the speed to make me a deep threat as well as great hands and an ability to make plays after the catch. I caught all types of passes this year short or deep and was able to turn them into big plays," he said.