Growing up the son of football coach Craig Walker, Bend High quarterback Beau Walker spent more time on the practice field than most kids do on the playground. While other elementary school students were playing with Legos, Beau was building forts with practice dummies. By the time he was old enough to wear shoulder pads, the Lava Bears’ future quarterback was out on the practice field running his own imaginary offense behind his dad’s varsity squad.

“He’s done all that stuff,” Craig said this week as he recalled Beau’s first exploits on the field. “I can remember when he and Taylor Hunter (son of former Bend High assistant coach Marty Turner) used to shag balls for Ryan Longwell (former Lava Bear kicker, now in the NFL). … There were many nights when he watched (game) film with me in middle school.”

The early film sessions paid off. Now a senior, Beau Walker has led Bend to an 8-2 record and into the Class 5A state quarterfinals.

“I was born a Lava Bear,” said the Intermountain Conference’s 2007 offensive player of the year. “I know it sounds kind of corny, but it’s true. I’ve always wanted to be here and in this situation.”

After handing off to all-conference running back Mark Speck most of last year — Speck led the IMC with 1,219 yards rushing during the 2006 regular season — Beau Walker emerged as the conference’s most productive quarterback this fall, leading the league with 1,716 yards passing and 20 touchdown passes. “He’s such a competitor,” said Mountain View coach John Nehl. “He’s a fighter, a scrapper, and a class act.”

Walker has taken his game to new heights this season. He has completed 62.4 percent of his passes while directing an offense that averaged 348.6 yards a game. And it wasn’t all with his arm. Deceptively fast, Beau Walker ran for four touchdowns this season, the third-best mark on the team.

“He sees the field better,” Craig Walker said. “Last year he saw the field, but only parts. Now he sees everything and knows what everybody is doing and where they’re going to be.”

“He’s the one guy you want running your offense,” added Bend senior guard and linebacker Jake Bruno. “You couldn’t find anybody better.”

Like any coach’s son, Beau Walker has had to deal with occasional cries of nepotism. Last fall, Craig Walker decided to move Speck — who had been groomed to play quarterback in his senior season — to tailback and inserted Beau under center.

“One of the toughest things was making that move last year,” the coach said about putting Speck at running back. “Mark would have been a good high school quarterback for us, but we didn’t have a way for him to be a playmaker because we didn’t have anybody to run the ball.”

The switch worked perfectly. Speck ran all over opposing IMC defenses, Beau Walker proved to be a more than serviceable passer and Bend went 8-4 before losing to eventual Class 5A runner-up West Albany in the state quarterfinals.

“It was tough,” Beau Walker said about taking over his dad’s offense. “You have a lot of criticism coming in when you’re the coach’s kid as a junior. It’s a lot of pressure on you. But I think that’s fun.”

At 5 feet, 9 inches tall, Beau faced additional questions about his size. But after going 16-6 over the past two years as a starter, and with two playoff wins and counting, he has quieted the naysayers.

“I’ve had a number of people come up to me and say, ‘If he’s 6-3, he’s got his college paid for,’” Craig Walker said. “But he’s not. He’s 5-9 and we understand that. But he’s a good, smart football player.”

With two years of varsity experience under his belt, Beau Walker will try to guide Bend High to the state semifinals for the first time in 31 years when the Lava Bears host Midwestern League-champion Willamette of Eugene, at 7 p.m. Friday at Punk Hunnell Stadium.

“I grew up watching highlight tapes of old teams, just waiting for my chance,” Beau Walker said. “And here it is. It’s fun to be in it.”

If you go

What: Class 5A state football quarterfinals

Who: Willamette (10-1) at Bend (8-2)

When: Friday, 7 p.m.

Where: Punk Hunnell Stadium, Bend

A look at Beau Walker’s senior season:

• Intermountain Conference offensive player of the year

• 1,716 yards passing

• 20 touchdown passes

• 4 touchdown runs

• 62.4 percent completion rate