Boys athlete of the week
The Post-Gazette’s top male performer from the past seven days
The past week: Shaw rushed for 220 yards on 31 carries and scored three touchdowns as Thomas Jefferson defeated West Mifflin, 27-6, to finish the regular season with a 9-0 record.
Check this out: Thomas Jefferson seems to always have a top-notch running back, and Shaw is continuing the tradition. A 6-foot, 190-pound senior, Shaw is in his first season as the Jaguars’ No. 1 halfback and he has rushed for 1,221 yards on 124 carries
(9.8 average). He has scored 25 touchdowns and plays linebacker on defense. Shaw also is an accomplished wrestler, finishing third at the PIAA Class 3A championships last season in the 182-pound division. You had to wait until your senior year to be the No. 1 halfback. Was the wait hard? It definitely was. Obviously, you want to go out and show your talents as a player, but look at the names of the runners before me. It’s really hard to say I should’ve been in over them.
When you were a kid, did you ever go to a game and say I want to be a TJ running back
someday? Definitely. I was a quarterback growing up, just because I could always throw the ball and run. I remember watching all of them running backs in middle school and I always knew that was the position I would want to be in. Are there certain expectations that go with being a TJ running back? Without a doubt. When you’re playing for Cherp [coach Bill Cherpak],
you know they’re pretty much relying on you, especially with the offensive lines we’ve had the last couple years. How does wrestling help in
football? I feel like it helps mentally and physically. Mentally, it makes you tough. In big games, you have to dig down deep. From a physical standpoint, it helps, especially on defense. It helps with getting leverage and having balance whenever you’re locked with someone. What’s your college situation?
I’m waiting it out and see where football season ends. I’m probably going to go for wrestling, but football is my true first love. This is the first year I’ve ever been looked at for football. I’ll finish this football year out and see what happens. Are you an energy drink or Gatorade guy? Gatorade, without a doubt. I feel like the sugar in those energy drinks makes me feel weird. Food you can’t do without?
Probably buffalo chicken wings. I’ll go anything buffalo.