Fox 40 Prospect Challenge (West Coast): OL Hewa Baddege looking forward to “Battle of the Best”

For 6’5, 265-pound offensive lineman, Matthew Hewa Baddege, football will take him places. Playing for ten years now, he already has racked up quite the accolades; Top Linemen Community Football Awards, 2015 – Practice Player Award Junior Varsity, Terry Fox Ravens, 2016 – Top Offensive Line Award Junior Varsity, Terry Fox Ravens, and 2016 – AAA BC Senior Varsity High school Champions, Terry Fox Ravens.

But he’s not looking to stop there. With his eye on making the CFC100 list for 2019, he already has his goals set. “My goal is to be the top O-Linemen on the CFC100 list next year,” he says. He also wants to represent British Columbia when he makes his way to Ottawa this weekend for the “Battle of the Best” on May 6th.

He will be able to add this upcoming experience to his memorable experiences just as he has with the AAA Senior Varsity Championship game.

“I played offensive tackle for the Senior Varsity Terry Fox Ravens all season and in the championship game, my coaches told me that I would be playing a little defense as well. We were against Notre Dame and I was put in defense as nose guard. The ball was snapped and I started pushing through, then I saw the QB going to throw it my way and as he did I jumped up and tipped the ball, which one of teammates caught and I blocked for him to run for a touchdown,” he recalls. “We ended up winning the AAA Championship game and it was one of the best experience I’ve had since I started playing football.”

Going to the gym to weight train and do football specific power and speed classes, Matthew will be working to improve his football skills and abilities. He says that he wishes to follow in J.J. Watt’s footsteps as he is incredibly athletic and has unbelievable strength.

“I wish to follow in his footsteps and be a great athlete like him one day,” he says.

While this young athlete is just starting his promising career, he says football is a career that he wants to chase and use to its full advantage.

“Football has been a part of my life for the past 10 years and it’s something I wish to make a career out of in the future. It’s been an amazing experience,” he states. “I’ve played for many teams, I’ve made a lot of friends and I’ve had the opportunity to be coached by some great coaches along the way. I am very thankful for all the opportunities I’ve been given.”

Matthew Hewa Baddege (#78)
Position(s): Offensive lineman, Kicker
Ht/Wt: 6’5, 265lbs
Teams: 2008 – Coquitlam Flag, 2009 – Coquitlam Bears (1st Year Atom), 2010 – Coquitlam Bears (2nd Year Atom), 2011 – Coquitlam Wildcats (1st Year PeeWee), 2012 – Coquitlam Wildcats (2nd Year PeeWee), 2013 – Westside Warriors (1st Year Junior Bantam) and Team BC Grade 8, 2014 – Cloverdale Cougars (2nd Year Junior Bantam) and Team BC, 2015 – Terry Fox Ravens (1st Year JV) and Team BC, 2016 – Terry Fox Ravens (2nd Year JV and Senior Varsity Offensive Tackle Starter for the whole season) and Team BCHS, 2017 – Terry Fox Ravens (Senior Varsity) and Team BCHS
Class: 2019

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