By Hanna Duenkel

Daniel Smith and Noah Reimers, also known as Tuscarora’s “Dynamic Duo,” are back in action. This season, Reimers leads the team in touchdowns while Smith is throwing passes to Reimers and his other receivers.

The “Dynamic Duo” started working together in the 2013 football season, when Smith was a sophomore and Reimers was a junior. They both started for the Huskies last season and remain on the starting offense.

“Since [Smith] came [to the Tuscarora varsity football team] as a sophomore, we’ve been working together,” said Reimers.  “A lot of work over the off-season has allowed us to be a lot more synchronized and to have a better connection this season.”

Coach Michael Burnett saw Smith and Reimers collaborating and started pairing the duo together in practices and in games.

“They just came together. They’re both here on the same team at the same time and they’re fun to watch. We’re just blessed to have them,” said Coach Burnett.

Reimers and Smith started off last season as acquaintances, but are now very close. During games and practices, the duo are constantly going over plays or working together. If you look closely, you can see them talking on the sidelines about what they’re going to do next.

“We’ve gotten a lot closer this off-season. When [Smith] came here last year, I didn’t know him very well. I’d seen him around a little and we weren’t that good of friends, but now, spending so much time in the offseason, we’ve become a lot closer,” Reimers said.

With the duo playing their last season together, and both nearing the end of their high school football careers, they try to learn as much as they can from each other. Smith nitpicks Reimers for potential plays and technique while Reimers learns how they can change up their pace and plays for the most success.

They agree on many things, such as crucial plays and the importance of work in the off-season, but the coaching staff has played an equally prominent role in supporting them as a team.

“I think it’s just the day-to-day, pushing us in everything we do. [The coaches] preach about not just working hard in the weight room or on the field, but in every facet of your life in order to be the best you can be. When they stay on you and really care about you, it helps everything you do,” said Reimers.

Smith added,  “Most of [the coaches] are teachers, so not only are they great coaches for pushing us, they are great at teaching us the basic things to succeed in life…I’m so grateful for that.”

Both of them spend all of their extra time living and breathing football, while also making time for lifting and out of season practice in the off-season.

“We never really take time off when it comes to football. We lift every day in the off-season, and on Tuesdays and Thursdays, we go in the gym or maybe go outside. We do some routes, some raw offense and defense schemes, so we’re prepared year-round,” Smith said. The Huskies have out of season practice almost every day, including holidays.

For Smith and Reimers, football is one of their greatest passions.  Even though they spend so much of their free time practicing, they don’t mind.  “I love it,” said Reimers and Smith harmoniously.

Tuscarora’s football team has some big goals this season, including a state championship.

“[Our first goal] is definitely a state championship. I think we’ve come a long way as a team and I think that’s the number one goal for all of us on the team, personal or team-wise. We want to make a deep run to the playoffs this season,” said Reimers. In the past, the Huskies have made it to the playoffs but were knocked out after the first or second round. As of right now, the Huskies are 6-0 after defeating Martinsburg High School on September 19, with a score of 40-21 and are considered one of the best high school football teams in Northern Virginia as third in the state.

Even after six games,with Reimers and Smith scoring all of the six touchdowns the first game, Reimers gaining the most rushing yards of the team this season, Smith out due to a knee injury and out for the Heritage game, Reimers filling in as the quarterback, and also verbally committing to Harvard the very same day, the duo is still running strong. Their achievements could be attributed to how they compliment each other in the game or how they’ve been coached.

“I think that we both bring a dynamic part to the game where we can do a lot of different things. Especially Dan, he can throw the ball really well. He’s fast; he can make moves. When we play together, we play really well,” Reimers said.