EF standout Chase Whatton shows toughness in battling through pain
By JOSE NEGRON
jnegron@yourmvi.com
Based on what he accomplished during his junior campaign in 2019, one may have thought things might have been a little easier for Chase Whatton this season.
The Elizabeth Forward standout was coming off his first full season at the defensive end position and had just been named the most valuable defensive player in Class 3A’s Big East Conference.
He entered his senior season with a number of Division I offers and looked to be the centerpiece of a stout Warriors defense.
Whatton was able to once again prove his worth this year, but he didn’t do it without having to face some adversity.
Throughout a year in which he helped lead EF to an undefeated regular season, an Interstate Conference title and a WPIAL championship appearance, Whatton pushed through what many might have considered a pair of season-ending injuries.
Refusing to miss a practice session or a game, Whatton played the entire season with two torn labrums. He’s due to have surgery on his right labrum on Dec. 7 and his left labrum in early January.
Then, in the first quarter of the WPIAL Class 3A semifinals against North Catholic, Whatton suffered a torn UCL in his right thumb and was forced to don a cast in the WPIAL championship game against Central Valley. Whatton underwent surgery on his thumb Nov. 19.
“The end goal and my team was what pushed me to have the year I had. We’ve preached an undefeated season, conference title, a playoff win and a WPIAL title since I’ve been in high school,” Whatton said. “We reached all of our goals but one. Having all of the support we had from outsiders, our coaches and ourselves as a whole helped me especially to push through adversity.”
Despite having to play through obvious pain, Whatton, a Bowling Green recruit who signed his national letter of intent on Nov. 11, performed at a high level night in and night out for head coach Mike Collodi and the Warriors.
He was recently rewarded for his efforts as he earned first-team all-conference recognition and was named the Interstate Conference’s Defensive Player of the Year.
“In all honesty, he’s probably one of the toughest kids that I’ve ever coached,” Collodi said. “He’s obviously had some adversity throughout his entire life and that has shaped him for who he actually is. An injury isn’t going to stop him, he’s the ultimate team guy.”
While he entered his senior season as a highly-touted prospect in the eyes of a number of Division I programs, Whatton still felt as if he had something to prove this season.
The 6-4, 235-pounder played with a chip on his shoulder and put up big time numbers on the defensive side of the ball, finishing with 49 tackles, 18 tackles for loss and eight sacks,
“I definitely believe I’ve proved myself and I know for sure that nobody can question my heart for this sport,” Whatton said. “I know that I am one of the top players in the state and I’ll stand by that with my head held high.”
Whatton’s transition to defensive end last season seemed to go off without a hitch as he collected 68 tackles, 29 tackles for loss and 12 sacks to go along with five blocked punts and three blocked extra points.
This year, however, Whatton admits there was an extra sense of comfortability in the position.
“Playing defensive end is really not an easy job. We control the pace of the game because of the containment you must keep on most quarterbacks,” Whatton said. “I felt a lot more comfortable playing the position this year just because of the work I put in, on and off the field. I wish I could have played healthy, but I can’t wait to see how I do play once I am fully healed.”
Whatton didn’t only have an impact on the defensive side of the ball.
He also played a big role at H-back and even approached Collodi about playing on the offensive line after injuries began to pile up for the group up front.
“Most might say this was a hard decision, but I found it exceptionally easy because it was in the best interest of our team,” Whatton said. “I went from catching touchdown passes to just blocking the man in front of me. I knew it was the best for our team. As a captain and a leader, that’s what it’s all about.”
The switch helped Elizabeth Forward make history as the Warriors won their first playoff game in 20 years and appeared in the WPIAL title game for the first time in program history.
“It wasn’t just me, though, we have so many playmakers on our team that I wasn’t even worried about it,” Whatton said. “It was all for my brothers, coaches and the community. Plus, it was super funny because after all the games, everyone would say, ‘So how many different jersey numbers do you have?’”
Whatton had defied the odds throughout his high school career.
He didn’t play much during his sophomore year after suffering injuries in a car accident in August 2018. Then, when he did return to the field as a junior, he switched positions and flourished.
Now, he’s finished off his high school career with yet another impressive campaign, leaving behind a legacy of greatness as he moves on from Elizabeth Forward and looks ahead toward a collegiate career at Bowling Green.
“He’s the definition of what our team name is, he exemplifies the word ‘Warrior’” Collodi said. “The kids that look up to him see what he has done and they’ll know now what it takes to be a successful player just like Chase.”
Whatton was one of 10 Elizabeth Forward players to be recognized by the Interstate Conference.
In addition to Whatton, Nico Mrvos, Evan Lewis, Andrew Smith, Logan Jester, Nick Murphy, DaVontay Brownfield and Zach Boyd were named first-team selections. Grant Robinson and Spencer Ross earned second-team honors.
