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| LAKEWAY - As a wide receiver in Lake Travis' unrelenting passing offense, Tanner Gillett has grown accustomed to running until his heart tells hims to slow down.
Gillette and the Cavaliers' other receivers sometimes resemble a track team as they crisscross down the field. They run go routes, post routes, curls, slants and button hooks. Along the way, Lake Travis has raced past 45 consecutive opponents without a loss, won two straight Class 4A state championships and earned a shot at a third this weekend. There was a time, though, when Gillette's heart couldn't take the grueling pace that came with playing football for the Cavaliers. Last season, he noticed that his heart rate soared to an extremely rapid level when he ran a route. "Tanner compared it to an explosion in his chest when he ran," said his father, Rob Gillette. In January, Tanner was diagnosed with supra ventricular tachycardia, a condition hat involves abnormal rhythms in the top chambers of the heart. The majority of such cases are not life-threatening, but the illness can be debilitating and interfere with normal daily activities. That month, Rob Gillette said, his son underwent a four-hour surgery that involved "freezing or burning" a specific portion of heart tissue to eliminate the trigger for his irregular heartbeat. Eleven months have passed without any setbacks for Tanner. The junior has been a reliable target for quarterback Michael Brewer, catching 40 passes for 732 yards - an average of 18.3 yards a reception - and four touchdowns. As Lake Travis has prepared to play Longview on Saturday for the 4A Division I state title, Gillette has become part of a talented pack of Cavaliers receivers. Three others have caught at least 40 passes this fall - senior Conner Floyd (65), senior Andy Erickson (56) and sophomore Griffin Gilbert (43). Tanner Gillette considers himself fortunate to be able to run gain. "At first I was afraid to tell someone (about the problem) because I just wanted to play ball," he said. "But when we first went to the hospital, I was pretty scared. A heart problem is kind of a big deal, and I didn't want many people to know about it." Cleared to return to football, Gillette joined the Cavaliers to play alongside his older brother, Trevor, a rugged defensive tackle who was an honorable-mention pick for the Class 4A all-state team, released Thursday. A senior, Trevor has had an outstanding season, contributing 127 tackles, 15 for losses. "As soon as I catch my breath from our fast-paced offensive, I love watching Trevor and the defense wreak havoc," Tanner said. Trevor said he considers all 55 members of the Lake Travis football team his "brothers," but having Tanner as a teammate is nothing new. "I play with all of my best fiends, but I found it weird when I wasn't playing with Tanner," Trevor said. "We've always been a package deal together. If I was on a team, so was he - and vice versa." In this package deal, Trevor acts as the snapper on the field goal and extra-point attempts, while Tanner holds for first team all-state kicker Kramer Fyfe. "Tanner's got great hands, and there's no one I trust more (as a holder)," Trevor said. As the memory of Tanner's surgery fades, the Gillettes are wrapped up in another remarkable season for the Cavaliers, who could improve their three-year record to 48-1 by knocking off Longview for the second straight year in a 4A title game. "Last January, we just wanted Tanner to get health and enjoy being a 15-year old," Rob Gillette said. "I feel great," Tanner said. "All I want to do now is catch some more of Michael's passes and make some key blocks for my teammates." |