The Langford Area senior is a standout at any sport he plays, but said there is no question what tops his list.
"Football is one," Planteen said. "And then basketball. I'd say my best sport is football. You kind of just like what you're best at."
Planteen is a force on offense and defense for the Lions.
Whether taking a handoff and running with the ball or hauling in a pass, Planteen is a playmaker on offense.
He has already scored seven touchdowns this season: three rushing and four receiving.
"He's so versatile on the football field," said Langford Area coach Paul Raasch. "We play him at about five different spots. We move him around all over and try to take advantage of his tools. He's all over the place."
The term 'all over the place' might best describe Planteen on defense as the linebacker roams the entire field just waiting to put a lick on an opposing ball carrier.
"I like defense better (than offense)," said Planteen, who has 27 tackles and an interception in three Langford Area victories this season. "You just get to run out there and play loose and have a nose for the ball. Hitting is pretty fun."
And whether Planteen starts out with the ball or not, he usually ends up around it by the time a play is finished.
"One thing that really sticks out in my mind about Drew is ability to make a play on the ball," said Ipswich-Edmunds Central coach Brian Hogie. "He does such a good job on both offense and defense of seeing it in the air and going to get it at the right point."
At 6-foot-3 and 185 pounds, and possessing sprinter-type speed, Planteen has no trouble getting to the ball and he usually packs a pop when he gets there.
So what happens when Planteen is on the receiving end of one of those hits?
"Sometimes it's just like that. You get the wind knocked out of you," Planteen said. "It's football."
It is that aggressive mentality and determined spirit that might set Planteen apart from other players. He has a motor that never stops and something that he calls "the will to win."
"One thing that separates Drew from other kids, the bigger the moment the better he plays. He relishes big games and intense pressure," Raasch noted. "He really seems to respond in those situations. That's something you can't coach. He's got a lot of tools that can give him that confidence, too."
Planteen grew up around sports. His father, David, is a veteran official who has had a major impact on his son.
"You have to know the game before you start playing it," Drew Planteen said.
It has already been a memorable year for Planteen, who played in the State B basketball tournament, placed in the state track and field meet and helped Groton win its second straight State B American Legion baseball championship. He would like to cap 2013 by helping Langford Area make its first ever trip to the football championship at the DakotaDome in Vermillion this fall.
"It's definitely a goal for every football player," Planteen said. "It would be kind of nice to get there for my senior season and hoist that trophy up at the end."
Drew Planteen File
Parents: David and Gwen Planteen; sister, Rachel (20).
Hobbies: Sports, hunting and fishing.
Favorite athlete: Adrian Peterson
Best athletic advice ever received:"Don't give up. Keep your head up and just keep going."
Hardest hitter ever faced: Former Warner standout Jarrod Tuszka.
Most memorable athletic accomplishment:"Probably state basketball this last year. It was a big thing for us."
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