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Dixon Dominates Both Sides of the Football as All-Pequot Sophomore

It has only taken a couple of years, but Trevor Dixon has shown his abilities on both sides of the football while pushing Haddam-Killingworth’s football team to new successes and heights, and gaining profound personal recognition in the process.

The sophomore, who doubled as an offensive guard and tackle on offense and linebacker on defense, participated in baseball, soccer, and wrestling in elementary school. In eighth grade, Trevor took a mini sabbatical from sports before deciding to enroll in football.

Fast forward two years later, Max earned himself a spot on the All-Pequot Conference Team this past fall. He finished with 80 total tackles, with nine coming for a loss of yardage, as well as three fumble recoveries, and a sack. He additionally helped H-K finish above .500 for the Cougars’ campaign and stay in playoff contention through the season’s final week.

“I enjoy the physicality of football, and I like being outside and working with my hands. With football, you can notice who is willing to be more aggressive,” says Trevor. “I was happy to play linebacker this year, because I looked at it as one of the spots I could do the best at. I got to see the whole defense and see when they are playing well. When the defensive line is on their game, it makes cleaning up tackles easier. I did not expect to earn All-Pequot, but I was happy about it. It was a great honor.”

Playing upfront in the trenches on offense while doubling as a median between the two defensive tiers, Trevor notes he has been able to gain greater knowledge into the nuts and bolts of the grunts and groans of the gridiron.

“Both positions go hand in hand,” Trevor says. “On the offensive line, you have to deal with pass or run blocking, plus blitzing. With linebacker, you are able to understand how the offensive line might try to block on run. You can also understand why they might push or pull to get to the ball. It can also make reading the play easier and covering the line easier.”

Football is of course a physically draining and grueling game, though through that, it can additionally wage a war on the mind. So Trevor relishes in learning new tricks of the trade that can leave opponents scratching their heads and steaming.

“On the offensive line, I love learning new techniques in practice, and then implementing them in games and seeing the opposing defensive line get frustrated,” says Trevor. “I also like when you make a key block and the offensive line is really working together. At linebacker, when you and your team are playing together and just show down and frustrate an offense, that is really satisfying to me.”

In speaking to the Cougars’ success and late bid as a postseason hopeful for 2022, Trevor surmises that the seniors that arose as better young men from the complications of COVID campaigns played a pivotal role towards H-K’s final mark of 6-4.

“A big part of this team was the group of seniors that helped coach us up last year,” Trevor says. “ They also played through the experience of COVID. We also had more seniors join the team this year that played key roles. We also saw that having good energy and chemistry as a team helped us a lot.”

You never get a second chance to make a first impression, which was certainly the case when Trevor first made contact with the Cougars’ coaching staff and Head Coach Tyler Wilcox.

“Trevor was our Lineman of the Year Award winner as a freshman. From the moment he walked into our weight room last year, the coaching staff noticed his focus and attention to detail,” says Wilcox. “He is a very coachable athlete and was soaking up every conversation in order to learn about the game. He’s one of the natural leaders of the sophomores. He is constantly competing with others, whether it is a lineman drill or reading his keys on defense. He will be looked upon to lead both the lineman and linebacker units next year.”

For his personal goals moving into the upperclassmen downs of his career, Trevor knows there is only one other step with solo accolades. For the Cougars as a group next fall, they are ready to venture into newfound territory for many members of the squad.

“For my goals in the future, I want to make the All-State Team by senior year,” says Trevor. “I am hoping for the team to go to the state playoffs next year, or hopefully the year after that. I have never played a football game in December, so I would like to do that with this team.”