Evan Bitter not only plays receiver but also prowls the defense as a bruising linebacker.
Almost inseparable in what they do and how they do it, 18-year-old twins Aaron and Evan Bitter are sad to see their high-school football career end on Saturday with the playing of the D1-A state championship.
One could say both look at the season finale as bittersweet, yet it will be the memories of playing with longtime friends since they were old enough to put on football cleats and tie up the shoelaces.
“It’s been a journey,” said Evan in discussing the years he and his brother played on a Fallon Youth Football League team with virtually the same players who are now on the Greenwave varsity team. “It’s kind of cool we get to play at Reno High School where we won our first championship. This (Saturday) is for they years we played.”
Evan, a wide receiver and linebacker, said his senior year has been a blessing considering in 2014 he suffered a concussion that curtailed playing time,
“This year I’ve been on a lot of plays and interceptions and playing both ways (offense and defense). I’ve scored touchdowns, and this is a great year to compete for a state title.”
Evans said his best game of the season came against Elko where he nailed the quarterback for several sacks and blocked a punt.
For the season, he caught 12 of 20 passes for 347 yards and four touchdowns.
Aaron, though, also matched his brother with 12 of 19 catches for 250 yards and three trips to the end zone.
The Bitter twins both said Fallon’s drive to the state game came after a season-beginning loss to a powerful California team; however, they knew Fallon had the tools to win league and then head to the title game.
“The first game loss opened our minds, and we bounced back from that and decided to go from there,” he said.
Then, Evan said, the Wave took the season one game at a time. He said the playoffs was a one-week season, and the team took it. Now, he said the Wave is ready to capture the state trophy.
“Our team is confident and we have been in this situation before as kids growing up,” said Aaron. “It’s nostalgic playing at Reno High School. We’ll come out intense and confident. We’ll be pretty good.”
Aaron said he has enjoyed defense, especially a late-game interception against Fernley when the Vaqueros were trying to score.
The season has been good as far as Aaron is concerned.
“Defensively, we made some changes since the beginning of the year,” he said. “I used to be a corner, now a safety.”
Aaron said being a safety makes him a playmaker in the secondary,
“My standout game was at Spring Creek. They had some pretty fast receivers, and I guarded them petty well. That gave me confidence for the rest of the year.”
Once the season ends, football may no longer be the bind that keeps the brothers together. Evan said he would like to receive a scholarship and play college football. Aaron though, said he would like to attend college in Elko and become an electrician.
Both players have lived in Fallon since they were 6 months old. Their father met their mother in the Philippines, fell in love, and they eventually moved to the United States.
“It will be sad that our season is going to end, especially playing football,” Evan added. “We want to win it all because we have been there. It’s time to win it for Fallon.”