Wallace takes aim at the track

Multi-talented athlete Forrest Wallace (center) defends the against a player from Walla Walla Academy during a basketball game earlier this season. Wallace, a senior at Toledo High School known for quick feet and high intelligence, has decided to try his hand at track and field this spring.

The verdict is in. Forrest Wallace is taking his talents to the track.

Wallace is a senior student athlete at Toledo High School with multiple talents and special athletic abilities. Last spring, he turned out for soccer and was a major contributor to the Toledo/Winlock soccer team, who ended the season a win away from state competition. This year he considered going out for baseball, but eventually settled on Track & Field.

Wallace is a distance runner that can compete at a very high level, from 400 meters to the two-mile. He has also participated in the long jump and high jump. His best event has been the mile where he broke five minutes two years ago as a sophomore.

"I have had fun in every sport I have competed in," said Wallace who has been to state in cross country and basketball. "I have no idea what my favorite sport is but I did have a lot of fun in soccer last year."

Wallace was a part of the varsity basketball experience all four years of his THS career. He was a part of the 2012 state championship season, which predictably includes a highlight moment.

"My most memorable sports moment would have to be right after we won the state title and we funneled coach [Scott Merzoian] into the locker room and dumped the Gatorade bucket on him while Brennan and Austin were waiting in the stall with the bucket," recalled Wallace.

Forrest is a small, athletic bundle of energy in whatever scenario he might be participating. He has a tenacity and intensity that outmatches or at least frustrates competitors.

"Size doesn't matter, what matters is how hard you work and who's got more heart. No matter what you are doing," says Wallace, whose defensive style on the basketball court forced local referees to double-check the rulebook.

He collected many offensive fouls and would be a part of many steals due to his often stifling off the ball defense.

On the track, he is hopeful of eventual participation at the collegiate level.

"For future plans I plan on attending either George Fox University or Eastern Washington University in the fall to study computer programming or video game design/coding," he said.

He certainly has the academic credentials to move on to college.

"I do my best to maintain A's and A-'s at THS," he detailed.

Forrest hardly carries himself as the three-sport jock he appears to be. He is an excellent communicator and enjoys some off-color activities.

"One geeky hobby that May surprise people is that I play Magic the Gathering (a card game) and League of Legends on computer (computer video game)," Wallace says about activities during what little spare time that he has.

This basketball season, Wallace has a common group that followed the basketball team from gym to gym and many of those same fans were in attendance at the less spectator friendly cross country meets.

"I definitely have my family and the crowd isn't so much for me but the team as a whole," he said with a smile.

While he appreciates the support, he says that fans are more about the team then for him anyway.

That has been part of the fun watching Forrest Wallace play through the years.