SPORTS
THE MESA TRIBUNE | JUNE 12, 2022
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TheMesaTribune.com @EVTNow /EVTNow
Westwood’s McCrimon brothers cherishing time on field BY ZACH ALVIRA Tribune Sports Editor
W
hen Nick and Sa’Veon McCrimon were younger, their father made it well known that if the two wanted to play football, they would have to perform well in the classroom. That stuck with them from a young age when they first picked up a ball. It’s now carried over to Westwood High School, where Nick is preparing to be a senior and Sa’Veon a sophomore. The brothers have always been close, often competing with each other. Nick admits he isn’t like most older brothers where he purposefully established himself as the dominant half. But nonetheless, pushing each other on a daily basis has led them to become two of the key players for the Warriors this upcoming season. “Watching him, seeing him do good on the field, he’s the reason I am trying to push myself to be better,” Sa’Veon said. “I want to be better than him. But he isn’t going to let me be better than him. I think that’s why we both come out and try to be top notch.” Sa’Veon spent his first season at Westwood in the lower-level program. But he has varsity experience on the basketball court. He was brought up to compete at the highest level before the start of the season in the winter. Now, he is going to be called upon to contribute on the football field alongside Nick in the state’s highest conference. Westwood wrapped up the 2021 season going 6-4, narrowly missing a shot at the 6A playoffs. The Warriors were led by then-head coach Kyle Ide, an alum of the school. Ide announced his retirement after the season, which opened the door for Brandon Large, who played at Westwood, to leave his position as an assistant at Higley to lead his alma mater. The transition has been easy for the players. Nick and Sa’Veon especially, have immediately felt a level of trust between them and Large. They know he will lean upon them to make plays as wide receivers this season.
Westwood senior Nick McCrimon, “left,” and his sophomore brother, Sa’Veon, have quickly become dynamic playmakers for the Warriors this off-season and heading into the summer. They have earned the trust of new coach Brandon Large, “middle,” and will be key to the team’s success in the fall. (Dave Minton/Tribune Staff) And they’re ready for the challenge. “It honestly feels good,” Nick said. “I feel like we are going to have a pretty good season knowing he trusts us. As long as he trusts us, we trust him.” Nick was primarily a defensive back for Westwood as a junior. He finished the year with 27 total tackles and three in-
terceptions. But now playing both sides of the ball, he is ready to make a positive impact. It has also led to some friendly wagers between he and Sa’Veon, most notably who will be the first to find the end zone for the Warriors next season. Their father, Nick Jr., typically helps them
The bond Nick and Sa’Veon share on the field is one that never is broken despite mistakes the other may make. They motivate each other to be better both on the field and in the classroom. (Dave Minton/Tribune Staff)
settle what’s at stake. Sometimes it’s something as simple as pushups. Other times it will involve a small amount of money. But most importantly, it’s bragging rights. “When I score first, I’m going to obviously go hand him the ball,” Nick said while Sa’Veon scoffed at the idea. “That’s how we push each other.” “That’s not going to happen,” Sa’Veon added. When they aren’t making jokes with each other, the brothers have become leaders for Westwood. They have a certain ‘no nonsense’ approach to the game that has started to rub off on other players around them. Large didn’t know much about the brothers when he took over the football program in December. But he immediately recognized their athleticism in off-season workouts. That, coupled with their approach to the classroom, has made them and other players with the same mindset part of the culture shift at Westwood as a whole. “Those guys are very dynamic athletes and they’re also phenomenal students,” Large said. “They’re both high 3.8-3.9 GPA students. They’re just all-around great kids and we feel like they’re going to be very special for us.” Nick has goals to reach a four-year university when he graduates next spring. He hopes to continue playing football for the rest of his life. But if that doesn’t pan out, he has a backup. Watching "Law & Order" with his mother growing up, he wasn’t enamored by the detectives or forensic analysts the show often highlights. He liked the doctors. He said he aims to be a surgeon of some sort and wants to major in biomedicine. He knows that is a difficult path to follow, but just like with his time at Westwood it’s a challenge he wants to meet head on. And with his Sa’Veon by his side he knows he will be able to accomplish his goals. Their relationship on and off the field makes them a special dynamic, one that has so far helped them in life. “We don’t get mad at each other when
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