Bristol Herald Courier | Tim Hayes | Photo Credit: Emily Ball
HONAKER, Va. – It was a familiar sequence that stirred the spectators clad in orange-and-black, brought a smile to head coach Todd Tiller’s face, invoked a sense of dread in defensive backs and was seemingly second nature to the main principles involved.
Honaker High School quarterback Peyton Musick would take the snap, drop back amid the oncoming swarm of defenders and zip a pinpoint pass to Parker Bandy and watch his reliable wide receiver go to work.
Bandy-from-Musick.
Musick-to-Bandy.
No. 4 hauling in a momentum-shifting, chain-moving, game-changing toss from No. 1.
They were always on the same page and as a result rewrote Honaker’s record book in terms of aerial production.
The connection between Musick and Bandy didn’t magically materialize but took countless hours of practice.
Of course, they gathered practically every day in the spring and summer on the turf of Honaker’s Fuller Field and ran pattern after pattern after pattern.
On many occasions they’d stay after practice to fine-tune certain plays, making sure they were just right.
They studied film together and shared observations of what they saw on the screen.
“A good QB to wide receiver relationship is everything,” Musick said. “It helps that we are best friends, and we are close already. We also share the same love for the game and both grind as hard as possible to reach our best. He puts his heart on the line for the game.”