Feature photo: Trevon Dennard
By Mark Smith
Enchantment Sports
Editor in Chief
So what’s in a name?
For Trevon Dennard, this week’s Dreamstyle/Enchantment Sports Metro Player of the Week, quite a lot.
Dennard, a wide receiver at Cleveland High, made quite a name for himself last week during the Storm’s 63-21 destruction of Eldorado.
The 6-foot-2 junior caught six passes for 198 yards. And oh, yeah — five touchdowns!
So back to the name?
“Tre?,” Enchantment Sports asked him.
Maybe it should be “Cinco” after that five TD performance?
That got a laugh from the polite and respectful Dennard.
As for that last name, there’s no need to tinker with that. If it sounds familiar, it should.
Grandfather, Preston Dennard was a former University of New Mexico star receiver and NFL standout. Tre’s father, Aden, and uncle Ryan played for Cibola. Ryan also played at Arizona State.
“I’ve been around football my entire life, and I’ve seen video of every catch (Preston) made,” Trevon says. “He’s really worked with me and taught me so much.”
As has the other Tre on the Storm.
“He’s been great,” Dennard says of his inured senior teammate, Tre Watson. “He worked with me all summer, and has showed me a lot. It’s going to be really exciting when he gets back on the field.”
Watson, considered one of the top three receivers in the state, hasn’t played since the opening play of the first game of the season after breaking a forearm.
On Tuesday, Watson told Enchantment Sports that “the doctor said I’m recovering fast – a lot faster than normal,” and he could be on the field soon.
During Watson’s absence, Dennard has stepped — actually, raced — into the lead role.
Dennard is also a champion sprinter for Preston’s USA Track & Field squad — and a standout basketball player, who will play for coach Sean Jimenez and the Storm after football season.
“If he continues to grow into what we know he can be, he’s going to represent,” Preston told Enchantment Sports. “He can play many positions, and he’s only 16. I think that now he’s got the football bug, he understands it.
“All the training doesn’t matter until you get into the fire, and he did.”
Is he a Division I prospect?
“Absolutely, he’ll be playing D-I,” Preston says. “Right now, we still have a ways to coach him up with everything. But he’s the next (Dennard) in line.”
Watson, meanwhile, says he’s close to playing on the field with Dennard. He isn’t giving an exact date for his return, but he is saying that the Tre-Tre combo will be special.
“I’m happy for (Dennard) right now, Watson said. “He’s putting in a lot of work. I took him under my wing, and I’ve really been helping him out.
“I’m really looking forward to being on the field together,” Watson continued. “It’s going to be really hard to guard us. It’s going to be fun, though.
In other words, it’s a simple mathematical equation:
Tre X dos = uno.
As in the No. 1 tandem in the state.
“It’s a pretty good combination,” Cleveland coach Heath Ridenour says with a smile. “But we were expecting a lot from Tre (Dennard) this year. If you’re on the field on this team, we expect a lot from you.
“Of course five touchdowns, I can’t say we expected that. That’s pretty spectacular.”
The Metro Player of the Week feature is chosen by Enchantment Sports with the assistance of ProView Networks, and sponsored by Dreamstyle Remodeling. Each week, we feature a top-notch athlete from the area.
To make a nomination, email EnchantmentSportsNM@gmail.com.
Mark Smith has worked in New Mexico sports media for more than four decades, and is one of the most decorated sports journalists in state history. Smith has won more than 30 combined awards in print, television and radio. He is the editor in chief of Enchantment Sports. Contact him at mark.enchantmentsportsNM@gmail.com.
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