On more than one occasion last season, Christopher High safety
Bryant Cid caused a collective
”
ohhhh
”
from teammates, opposing players and fans in the stands after
delivering one of his open-field hits.
One such collision stands out in the senior’s mind.
On more than one occasion last season, Christopher High safety Bryant Cid caused a collective “ohhhh” from teammates, opposing players and fans in the stands after delivering one of his open-field hits.
One such collision stands out in the senior’s mind.
“I remember a play against Seaside, reading play action, reading the quarterbacks eyes and delivering the hit in the open field on the guy running a slant,” he said.
As the season wore on, it became the norm for receivers to short-arm passes sent over the middle for fear that an encounter with Cid, then the ground, was imminent.
“It’s fun playing back there,” said Cid, who was the Monterey Bay League’s co-Most Valuable Defensive Back in 2010.
So what’s his secret to the smash?
“It comes from instincts on the field,” he said. “The hits can be game-changers.”
Game-changer and attitude adjuster, too.
During a lopsided loss to North Monterey County, Cid requested he be put on kickoff return duty. When he received the kick, it appeared as though the only reason for his request was to lay some hurt.
Pacing up the left sideline, Cid called his shot, pointing out a defender stationed at about the 20-yard line and lowering his shoulder into the tackler. The two bodies advanced a couple more yards.
Aside from the entertainment of delivering the punishment, Cid is a student, dedicating just as much time to studying the nuances of the safety position.
“I watch NFL, college safeties all the time,” Cid said. “I watch a lot of game film and learn what receivers run in certain scenarios, how they run their routes.”
Not only did Cid make an impact on defense, the 6-foot-1, 185-pounder was the team’s leading receiver, snagging 38 balls for 480 yards and six touchdowns.
Being part of CHS’s first senior class to take the football field is an honor that doesn’t escape Cid.
“This season is just going to be an awesome experience,” Cid said. “I’m just looking forward to having a good time. This is my last season of high school football, and I want to make it great no matter what the outcomes of the games are. Playing with my friends, who I have been playing with the past three years is what it’s all about. If we stick together as a team we play well as a team.”
