Six years ago, Whitehall’s Iskander Blanco thought about a new sport.

“I was in fifth grade,” recalled Blanco. “I wanted to try something new, and it happened to be football. It has been a lot of fun so far.”

Six years later, it certainly has worked in his favor.

Blanco played a key role on the Zephyrs’ season last year. He rushed for 176 yards on 48 carries and scored three touchdowns, and he recorded 36 tackles from his running back/tight end/linebacker position.

The junior took more of an aggressive role last season. He plans to again play at a high level this year.

“Last year, I was a role player who stepped up early in the season,” noted Iskander. “I was at linebacker and eventually played running back.

“Going into my junior year, I expect to step up into a leadership role, and make a big impact on both sides of the ball. In my opinion, we are far ahead than the team we had last season.”

Iskander has taken his cue from former Zephyr standouts, and he has benefitted from the coaching staff.

“The people who have influenced me the most have been my coaches, who have played a big role in my development the past two years,” said Iskander. “Some teammates who graduated last year also played a big role.

“Being in the same positional group as Carter Troxell taught me a lot. Spending time off the field with Brandon Bird and Alex Magarin really helped me understand the game.”

Head coach Andy Marino has been impressed with Blanco’s development.

“He has an excellent work ethic,” beamed Marino. “Iskander has a high football IQ and plays with great effort.”