Athlete of the Week: HMB’s Adler Halterman

Gassed as he was from the touchdown haul on the hot Atherton afternoon, Halterman didn’t want to stay on the field for the pivotal two-point conversion attempt. But as he tapped his helmet to signal to the sideline for a sub, his teammates talked him into staying in the game.

“My teammates are telling me: ‘C’mon, just one more play!’ So, I’m just trying to get the deepest breaths I can,” Halterman said.

It is Halterman’s versatility that helped him shore up Daily Journal Athlete of the Week honors. The 6-1, 200-pound running back showed off that versatility on the game-winning conversion run, laying a lead block for slotback Connor Heath to blast into the end zone.

“I just see him barreling in and, yeah, no one was going to stop him from getting in,” Halterman said.

Halterman finished the day with 159 total yards, totaling 101 receiving with two touchdowns, and adding 58 on the ground. Not a bad haul for a senior in his first season as a varsity running back.

Growing up playing basketball and soccer, Halterman was refused permission by his parents to play football as a freshman. He derived persistence from his future gridiron teammates, though, as he’d regularly get asked to join the team during his dedicated hours in the school weight room.

“I just said: ‘Mom, I think this team really wants me to play for them, and I think I can really help,’” Halterman said.

The persistence paid off, as his parents signed off on him playing football his sophomore year. He spent the season on the junior-varsity squad, cutting his teeth as a running back and a linebacker. Then, in the summer prior to his junior year, he was playing football recreationally with a friend on campus and suffered a broken arm.

The injury cost him a chunk of his first varsity season. When he did finally return, he was limited to defense. Fortunately for Halterman, he wasn’t the only one in his family who had caught the football bug by then. Not only did his parents sign off on his playing when he recovered from the injury, they encouraged him to get back as quickly as possible.

“They love football now, my mom and my dad both,” Halterman said.

HMB scuffled through a rare down year in 2023, posting a 3-7 overall record. It was just the program’s second losing record over the past 10 years.

This certainly hasn’t been the case this year. With a demotion to the “B” league Ocean Division in the Peninsula Athletic League, the Cougars have matched up with three “A” league opponents in non-league play. They have won all three — all in dramatic fashion, by a touchdown or less — defeating PAL De Anza opponents Burlingame 21-18, and Hillsdale 21-14, before topping Sacred Heart Prep of the elite PAL Bay Division by 1 point.

Halterman’s debut as a running back has been essential, giving HMB another weapon to complement Heath, Dimas and running back Ronin McCauley in the school’s signature triple-option offense.

“I love it,” Halterman said. “It’s awesome. ... Last year I kind of felt like there was something missing. But this year I’ve been having so much fun.”

The fun started early for Halterman in Saturday’s win. That great versatility showed up on defense. Converting from linebacker to defensive end this season, the senior stifled an early SHP possession. With the game still scoreless, the Gators reeled off several big gains to cross midfield. But when they went to the ground, Halterman stripped the ball loose for McCauley to recover.

“That first drive, their offense was going on all cylinders ... so I felt like that was a good stop to have,” Halterman said. “It basically just cut their drive off completely and gave us a breath of life.”

SHP got a stop and went on the march again, this time driving into the red zone. The Gators fumbled again for HMB defensive end Brady Miller to gather the loose ball. Halterman still had a hand in the pile, though, diving in to help Miller combat two SHP players, ripping one of their arms away as the scrap continued in the depths of the scrum after the whistle.

The Cougars made this recovery count as Halterman got his team on the board with a 33-yard touchdown haul on a long wheel route to get wide open for a laser pass from Dimas.

HMB went up 14-0 in the third quarter on a 1-yard blast by Heath, but SHP fired back with three straight scores, including two late in the fourth quarter. A 24-yard scoring pass from quarterback Max Courson to senior tight end Elliot Spieker tied it at 14 with 10 minutes to play. Then an interception by SHP senior Charlie Burke set up a go-ahead score on a 12-yard QB keeper by Courson with less than three minutes to play.

“Oh my gosh, I was scared,” Halterman said. “I did not want to lose to Sacred Heart Prep ... and I did not want to blow a 14-point lead.”

Halterman’s went from worry to heroism as, three plays later, he turned a short screen over the middle into pay dirt. Picking up an open-field block from Luke Dexter, Halterman bolted up the left sideline and ran for 65 yards after the catch.

“I was just sprinting as fast as I could,” Halterman said. “I was tired because it was close to the end of the game ... but I just ran as hard as I could.”