Barbo offering Mount Baker big plays

Playing wide receiver for Mount Baker can be a dull, monotonous job. It’d be hard to blame a pass-catcher for growing tiresome being split out wide running the same route time and time again regardless of the play call.

But every once in a while, at that exact moment the route becomes as much of a bluff to the defensive back as it probably feels like to the receiver running it, Mount Baker takes to the air.

The wide receiver gets a rare chance to make a game-defining play. Sophomore Thomas Barbo relishes these opportunities.

“With our play-action, they want me doing everything the same, so when we do run play-action the corner will bite and I’ll be open,” Barbo said in a phone interview.

Barbo has made Mount Baker’s passing plays count this fall. He ranks ninth among Northwest Conference receivers with 527 yards on 24 catches and has five touchdowns. That’s an impressive accomplishment playing for a run-heavy team.

Barbo has given the Mountaineers (8-1) a big lift with his athleticism at wide receiver and cornerback, helping Baker earn an NWC 1A title and district playoff matchup with Cascade Conference No. 3 seed Sultan (2-7) at 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, at Civic Stadium.

“We wanted to get as many athletes on the field as possible, and the best opportunity for him was at receiver,” Mount Baker coach Ron Lepper said in a phone interview. “We didn’t have a go-to receiver going into the season.”

Well, the Mountaineers have one now.

While Barbo’s offensive and defensive impact has been impressive, especially for a sophomore, it’s even more remarkable given he started playing football only a few years ago in junior high.

Barbo, who also played varsity basketball last year, had always wanted to play football. It’s his favorite sport. But he was home schooled growing up, and because he was shy, Barbo said he decided not to play until teammate Jed Schleimer convinced him to in junior high.

That’s when Lepper heard about Barbo. He and Schleimer formed a strong running back duo, carving up opposing defenses.

But with Schleimer and Carson Engholm handling ball-carrier duties this season, Lepper felt Barbo’s assets would be best served at wide receiver.

“It’s kind of funny,” Lepper said. “We asked him about wide receiver, and he didn’t like it, but he really enjoys it now. I like the fact that he was able to embrace that role for us.”

Barbo quickly learned the position, and after a few underwhelming games to open the season, he began to take off.

“I think it was the game against one of the Cascade teams, the second or third game,” Barbo explained of his breakout moment. “I ran a go-route and went up and grabbed it. I think that is kind of when it happened for me.”

Barbo caught his first touchdown Week 4 against Nooksack Valley, and then the next week during Mount Baker’s thrilling 33-28 come-from-behind win over Meridian, Barbo was instrumental, catching seven passes for 184 yards. He also caught three passes for 150 yards and two touchdowns two weeks later against Nooksack Valley.

Barbo’s big-play ability is witnessed in his 21.9 yard-per-catch average.

Lepper described his abilities as a pass-catcher as “raw.” He has good size at 6-foot-2, 184 pounds, some speed but mostly his sheer athleticism has helped maximize Mount Baker’s passing game.

“I think the players have helped me a lot, the players who have been there the longest,” said Barbo, regarding his ability to adapt to new positions. “This year Mason (Bass) has given me pointers (at cornerback).”

This story was originally published November 5, 2015 at 7:45 PM with the headline "Barbo offering Mount Baker big plays."