ROYAL PALM BEACH – It was bound to happen for Cody Wasielewski.

Standing at 5-foot-10, 165 pounds, the Royal Palm Beach junior wide receiver knew this was the perfect time to go full force with his talent. He has done so in five games played, with maybe his best one coming this past Friday night (Dec. 4) against Fort Lauderdale.

As our Breakthrough Player of Week 5, Wasielewski got 73 receiving yards from senior quarterback Peyton Mainolfi. He added quite a bit more in other facets of the game – including an 80-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the third quarter – to record 200+ all-purpose yards in the Wildcats 34-27 home loss to the Flying L’s.

This was a performance to savor for Wasielewski in the first round of the 7A Silver Tri-County Playoffs.

“As a team we came in prepared and focused,” Wasielewski said of Royal Palm Beach (1-4). “Coming off a loss, I had the mindset to keep pushing forward to try and help my team win. We had a tough dogfight and lost, but I gave it my all and made plays when I was able to. I have more work to be done, and i’m not done yet.”

In his junior season, Wasielewski has recorded 374 receiving yards (74.8 yards per game), six total touchdowns, and 600+ all-purpose yards. Instrumental in his breakout success has been Mainolfi, who is a close friend of Wasielewski off the field.

“Me and him worked all summer to get our timing and connection correct,” Wasielewski said. “Coming into the season I told him all this work is going to show this year. And so far we have connected well and are making plays.”

Wasielewski reflected on how this season has gone for him as a whole.

“I didn’t know if we would even have a season with everything going on,” Wasielewski said. “So I was putting in work day in and day out by myself and with the team. Ever since last year, I have been telling myself, ‘This is my year. I need to make a difference and stand out.’ I feel as of right now, I have done that through five games. And I’m going to keep going.”

PHOTO CREDITS: Junior’s Pix