A warrior in a helmet, Sean Constantine is elite

By Gabriel Baumgaertner

Sean Constantine is one of the top players on arguably the best team in the nation. Of course it doesn't necessarily make him the best player in the country, but Constantine was a force for Bellevue (Wash.), SI.com's No. 1-ranked team in high school football.

Most prominent high school players probably claim to "love" football, but it appears that Constantine really, really loves the game. If his helmet is strapped on, Constantine immediately becomes ferocious.

"I've always said that most players love to play on Friday night, but Sean loves the game Monday through Thursday," Goncharoff said. "He's got a real infectious attitude and he's just really passionate about it."

He played both sides of the ball, he loves jarring the opponent whether he's plowing through them as a tight end or cracking them as a linebacker. Wolverine head coach Butch Goncharoff is known to make his underclassmen work, but Constantine became the rare freshman to play on the varsity squad for the perennial state champion.

Bellevue has earned an elite reputation in the United States because, according to Goncharoff, "effort is not negotiable." A player like Constantine may or may not have been Goncharoff's ideal candidate, but Constantine learned how to be a punisher and that should serve him well at the next level.

The trademark aggressiveness should help him when he arrives in Seattle to attend the University of Washington this coming fall. Though he was actively recruited by several schools across the country, Constantine opted to stay home. While he was successful at both linebacker and tight end, Constantine will be on the defensive side of the ball at the next level.