Lampkin starring for Lancers
Before hanging up the phone at the end of a conversation, Brookfield Central head coach Jed Kennedy puts on his weatherman hat.
“See you out there Friday,” Kennedy says, referencing his Lancers’ Level 4 WIAA football playoff game against Waunakee. “Make sure you’ve got a couple of winter caps and a pair of gloves on.”
Kennedy likely won’t be needing to relay that same message to junior running back Rashad Lampkin, who is heating up at the right time for the Lancers.
Lampkin is typically one of the busi-
est players on the field for Central (12-0), which will look to avenge its 2017 Division 2 state championship game loss to the Warriors, and has also become one of the top junior players in the state.
After rushing for 376 yards and five touchdowns in a 52-28 Level 3 win over Waukesha West, Lampkin has 1,968 rushing yards this season, the second-most among all Division 1 and 2 players.
Did he see all of this coming before the the season?
“Honestly, no,” Lampkin said. “That’s a lot of yards. The school record is around 2,100. I wouldn’t expect myself getting that much. I’ve been helped out a lot by my teammates, my offensive line keeping me going.”
Lampkin started 10 games for Central last season as senior Zach Heckman, the player ahead of him on the depth chart, battled back from injury. With Heckman back on the field, Lampkin did not get a carry against Waunakee in last year’s title game.
“I didn’t think I would be playing on varsity, but Zach got hurt and and my teammates helped me get used to playing at that level,” Lampkin said. “When he came back I had to go back to my place as a special teams player.”
The Lancers saw a 13-0 lead disappear in the fourth quarter of that game against the Warriors, leaving a sour taste for almost an entire calendar year.
Lampkin spent the off-season preparing to shoulder the load that comes with being the starting running back at Brookfield Central.
“In this offense, if you play tailback you’re going to touch it 18 to 20 times a game,” Kennedy said. “There’s an expectation with the tradition of kids that have played that position for us that it’s a tough physical position.”
Twenty pounds heavier than he was as a sophomore, Lampkin has added a physical element to his shifty, patient running style.
“A big goal for me was to get a lot stronger in off-season,” Lampkin said. “I would say I’m pretty patient waiting for a gap to open up, but I also like to take on tacklers in the hole.”
Central will likely utilize Lampkin often on Friday night, given his average of 20.6 carries per game coming in.
The Lancers also feature the Greater Metro Conference’s leading passer (Drew Leszczynski) and receiver (Julian Banda), which allows Kennedy and his staff to feed the hot hand as they determine who has it throughout a game.
“We have one of the best quarterbacks in the state, one of the best running backs in the state and one of the best wide receivers in the state,” Kennedy said. “That gives us flexibility to do what we have to do to be successful.”
Statistically, the Warriors defense is the best that the Lancers have seen to this point. But with Lampkin carrying the ball, Central will look to catch fire on what should be a chilly night.