Petitbon has confronted nice expectations all his life. His grandfather, Richie Petitbon Sr., performed within the NFL between 1959 and 1972 and helped Washington win three Tremendous Bowls as a defensive coordinator earlier than changing into head coach in 1993. Carson’s father , Richie Petitbon Jr., performed linebacker at Maryland within the mid-Nineteen Eighties. Each of Carson’s brothers additionally performed Energy 5 soccer.
Underneath the course of “The Alchemist,” which conveys the theme of pursuing his legacy, Carson Petitbon was transferred from Gonzaga to St. Mary’s (Annapolis) to create his personal path and belonging. Behind Petitbon, St. Mary’s (9-0) can full its first unbeaten common season since 1968 with a win at Severn on Friday afternoon.
“He is virtually change into a coach on the sector,” stated Chris Baucia, Petitbon’s quarterback coach. “With the surname Petitbon, it is deep.”
Petitbon has lengthy intertwined soccer together with his closest relationships. His introduction to the game got here at age 2, when he and his dad hid behind couches of their Annapolis house earlier than leaping and throwing the ball to one another. He performed soccer together with his brothers, Richie Petitbon III and Luke, in video games that obtained so rowdy his dad and mom obtained indignant.
Petitbon helped coordinate two-a-side soccer video games in his driveway and established traditions of household video games on Thanksgiving and Christmas. The competitions obeyed one rule: the Petitbons competed in the identical groups. Petitbon served as a water boy on his brothers’ groups, together with once they attended Gonzaga in Northwest Washington, the place Petitbon wore a purple and white afro wig to video games.
Each Sunday within the fall, Petitbon donned a Redskins jersey and known as his grandfather to ask what he considered the day’s video games. After they weren’t attending Washington video games, the Petitbons would order buckets of Popeyes hen which they’d watch on tv. Richie Jr. estimated the household mentioned soccer 60 hours every week.
“On the finish of the day,” stated Carson Petitbon, who had 1,756 yards and 24 touchdowns this season, “that is all you will have is your self and your loved ones.”
On the age of 10, Petitbon started taking part in soccer for the Peninsula Athletic League Hawks, who wore burgundy and gold jerseys and have been coached by Richie Jr. Though Richie Sr. performed quarterback at Tulane within the late Fifties and NFL security. , his members of the family who adopted selected totally different positions. Richie Jr. performed linebacker; Richie III and Luke picked the offensive lineman.
Carson Petitbon cherished main his teammates as a quarterback. On match days, he wore his jersey from 6 a.m. till he slept at night time. Richie Jr. known as Petitbon the “Porsche” of the household as a result of he typically caught defenders off guard with pump fakes earlier than working for touchdowns.
Petitbon’s need to create crew camaraderie was predictable for his dad and mom. When he was 18 months previous and in kindergarten, Petitbon would manage the classroom and desks each morning earlier than directing his classmates to their seats.
Whereas Petitbon strikes up friendships at St. Mary’s Center College, his brothers journey about 31 miles to Gonzaga, the place they change into stars and acquire dozens of school scholarship gives. Petitbon didn’t think about attending one other highschool. Whereas he additionally performed basketball, Petitbon’s ardour for soccer blossomed his freshman 12 months in 2019 taking part in alongside Luke, who’s now a redshirt second 12 months at Wake Forest.
Petitbon studied the schemes on Madden whereas taking part in his function mannequin, Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray. He developed a photographic reminiscence, reciting playbooks and different monologues, together with William Shakespeare’s St. Crispin’s Day speech and actor Al Pacino’s crew speech in “Any Given Sunday.”
He known as his grandfather each week to debate blankets. He discovered how you can encourage his teammates by asking Richie III how Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa spoke to gamers when he was at Alabama between 2015 and 2018.
Petitbon began as a sophomore in a season condensed by the coronavirus pandemic. Through the Eagles remaining in opposition to St. John’s in April 2021, Petitbon threw a 60 yard profitable landing with 79 seconds remaining. Gonzaga completed 5-0.
Whilst he thrived at Gonzaga, Petitbon stood within the pupil part at St. Mary’s basketball video games. He thought-about transferring after his junior season.
Gonzaga began 4-3, and in opposition to Good Counsel on October 16, 2021, Petitbon’s left hallux ligaments tore when he was tackled. He endured a third-year turf toe and missed the remainder of Gonzaga’s 5-6 marketing campaign — the Eagles’ first dropping file since 2008. He advised his dad and mom he wasn’t having enjoyable.
Gonzaga’s coaches, Petitbon stated, needed to arrange a quarterback competitors coming into this season. Petitbon was not able to danger his senior 12 months. After deciding to switch, partly based mostly on his readings, St. Mary’s coaches and gamers welcomed him.
“As quickly as Carson advised me he was going to be traded,” stated St. Mary’s large receiver Casey Smith, Petitbon’s childhood good friend, “I instantly stated, ‘Oh, we’re profitable. the championship. Our assault can’t be stopped.”
When Smith walked into the burden room for the Saints’ first apply in June, he was shocked to see what Petitbon achieved in minutes. Petitbon had memorized every teammate’s title and saved their numbers in his cellphone. Even Smith, who had attended St. Mary’s for 3 years, did not know some gamers.
Petitbon, 18, held coaching classes together with his teammates at native pitches. On days once they weren’t coaching, he would invite associates over on his household’s boat and jet ski throughout the Chesapeake Bay behind his home. On his first day of college at St. Mary’s in August, Petitbon awakened at 5 a.m. and targeted on his homework after the 10-minute drive to apply.
“You simply noticed this child,” Richie Jr. stated, “and that happiness and pleasure comes again into his life.”
St. Mary’s emerged as top-of-the-line groups within the DC space on Sept. 17, when Petitbon rushed for a five-yard landing for an time beyond regulation win over Loyola Blakefield. When a videographer approached Petitbon in Towson, he turned the primary member of his household to level to royal blue “St. Mary’s” printed on the entrance of his jersey.
Earlier than most video games, Petitbon eats pizza and pasta together with his teammates and holds player-only conferences. In October, the college’s 130 seniors visited Petitbon’s house for photographs and meals earlier than heading house. In his yard, Petitbon known as his offensive teammates into formation for a photograph.
“If we have been defeated, if we misplaced each sport, I’d nonetheless be glad,” stated Petitbon, who aspires to play in school. “As a result of I am with all my associates.”
Throughout a coaching session in late October, Petitbon gathered his teammates for a 3-on-3 match. After a number of snaps, the coaches yelled on the gamers to assemble in midfield. Petitbon loved competitions paying homage to his childhood.
“The subsequent sport wins,” Petitbon advised his teammates.
When a teammate dropped a cross, Petitbon smiled and sighed as he gazed skyward. Then he bumped into midfield for 7-on-7 drills. After throwing a 40-yard indirect cross to Smith for a landing, Petitbon known as for an additional play. He known as the reserves within the caucus.
“Have you ever seen this play? Petitbon instructed. “We’ll do the identical.”
Towards St. Paul’s in Brooklandville the next afternoon, Petitbon began the win with a 48 yard landing cross to Smith on this slant street – a bit they’ve linked to since they have been children.
After every match, Petitbon leaves the sector together with his teammates. When he takes off his helmet in entrance of his household, he reveals a smile.
“That,” stated Richie Jr., “is happiness.”
