Small-school RBs have big-time results
Dylan Rush and Lionel Deaneshave a lot in common.
Both are fantastic senior running backs for smaller schools who are do-it-all performers. Neither has ideal size,and that possibly has contributed to them getting minimal interest from FBS programs. But their productivity is off the charts and has them poised for terrific final seasons.
Rush and Deanes are the WPIAL’s top two returning rushers. Rush plays for Class 1A Mapletown and Deanes for 3A Seton LaSalle. As juniors, Rush ranked fifth in the WPIAL with 1,852 yards and 22 touchdowns. Deanes was sixth with 1,814 yards and 14 touchdowns.
The two are gigantic for theirteams despite their small stature. Rush (5 feet 9, 180 pounds) plays running back, safety,returns kicks and is the team’s punter. Deanes (5-7, 185) stars at running back, defensive back and kick returner.
“My gosh. I can’t even describe how valuable he is to the football program,” Mapletown coach George Messich said of Rush. “[The school] only graduated 41 kids last year. That’s how small we are. When you have someone like that, you won’t win every game, but he will keep you in everygame.”
Seton LaSalle coach Rob Carter said Deanes is an allaroundtalent.
“I think he’s invaluable,” Carter said. “I think you have a kid who works hard whether it’s blocking, catching or running. He also holds himself to a higher standard offthe field. He wants to put together a good senior season andget this team into the playoffs.”
Rush has already accumulated 4,298 rushing yards in his career and should surpass Derek Bochna (4,793) as Mapletown’s all-time leading rusher. Deanes could push for 5,000. He enters the season withmore than 3,200.
Central Valley
While some of the WPIAL’s top teams must wait a few games before facing their first big test of the season, Central Valley faces a hefty challenge tonightin its opener.
Coach Mark Lyons said he wouldn’t want it any other way.
It will be a battle of No. 2’s when 3A No. 2 Central Valley hosts 4A No. 2 South Fayette in an excellent non-conferencematchup.
“This is obviously a big challenge,but we want that indicator right away,” Lyons said. “We want to use it as a gauge for us coming out of camp to see how far we have come. I don’t know if there is a better scenario than to play a teamlike that.”
Central Valley will be looking to dish out some payback after falling to South Fayette, 28-17, in last year’s season opener. South Fayette has won 47 regular-season games in a row, its most recent loss comingin 2011.
If Central Valley is going to end South Fayette’s streak, it must find a way to keep Lions quarterback Drew Saxton in check. Saxton, the WPIAL’s No. 2 returning passer, completed 18 of 22 passes for 264 yards and a touchdown in last season’smeeting.
Keystone Oaks
Keystone Oaks coach Greg Perry has coached a lot of excellent quarterbacks over the years, including a slew of them in his tenure at Seton LaSalle. He had another bigtime signal caller the past few seasons, but Alex Smith — last season’s WPIAL passing leader— graduated. So,who’s got next? It’s a question that doesn’t have a final answer yet. Junior Mason Brooks and freshman Logan Shrubb have been immersed in a battle for the starting job during camp, and Perry said earlier this week that he had yet to name a starter. Keystone Oaks begins its season Sept. 1 against Valley.
Regardless of who wins the job,the Keystone Oaks offense will look a lot different this year. In addition to Smith, last year’s 3A Allegheny Conference champion also graduated its top four receivers. Smithled the team in rushing, finishing with 1,117 yards to goalong with 3,061 passing.
“Both are kind of in the same mold,” Perry said of Brooks and Shrubb. “More pocket passers. Not so much the dual-threat that Alex was. We’ll be more back into the Seton LaSalle days where we didn’t really run the quarterbacktoo often.”