Shining Star: Chewelah's Derek Smith

Chewelah, WA -

"We want a league title. I mean that's the main goal for the season," Chewelah senior quarterback Derek Smith says.

A goal that would seem lofty for a team that won just one league game in 2011. But thanks to senior quarterback Derek Smith, the Cougars are already off to a 3-and-oh start in the Northeast-A.

"I knew I had to step up and be a leader this year and just try to win games," Smith admits.

Cougars head coach Jim Fisk adds, "He's like a general out on the field, you know like another coach that can be out there in the huddle because we can't be. He understands the offense very well, he has a very good football IQ."

And he's good with numbers, which comes in handy when you're named the WIAA state player of the week after putting up these kind of numbers.

"Six touchdowns: three rushing, three passing. 309 yards, 109 yards rushing, and I had an interception on defense," Smith recalls.

That's just one game. For his career, Smith will go down as one of the best in school history.

"He has a chance to set himself aside from some pretty good kids. He has a chance to be top dog," Fisk says.

But breaking records isn't nearly as important to Derek as advancing to the state bracket... something Chewelah hasn't done in over a decade.

"Since I've been in high school we haven't won a cross-over game to go to state, so senior year, all I want to do is just go to state," Smith says.

And maybe grab that league title along the way.