Elsinore running back Harvey is ready to deliver this season
WILDOMAR » Elsinore football coach Tony Peralta knew Donovan Harvey would not fly under the radar very long.
Harvey, a 5-foot-9, 178-pound junior, announced his presence loud and clear in the Tigers’ season opener as he ran for 333 yards on 15 carries and scored five touchdowns in a 46-6 victory over Lakeside.
“Guess the cat is out of the bag,” Peralta said. “The teams we play definitely are going to know his name now.”
Harvey tied a program record for most touchdowns in a game and was only 12 yards shy of the record for most rushing yards in a game. Harvey said he was a bit surprised when he heard his numbers from Saturday’s game.
“I had a couple of long touchdown runs, but I didn’t think the total was going to be that high,” Harvey said. “The offensive line deserves the credit. They opened up some big holes to run through and made my job easy.”
Harvey’s touchdown runs covered 68, 51, 49 and 49 yards, and he added a 2-yard touchdown catch for good measure.
“It wasn’t the typical Elsinore drives — 4 yards here, 5 yards there,” Peralta said. “Every time he touched the ball, he just broke away from everyone. You get a few runs like that, those numbers will add up quickly.”
Elsinore will play host to Hemet in a nonleague game Saturday at 5 p.m.
Harvey was a standout running back on the lower levels during his freshman and sophomore seasons, so it was just a matter of time until he got his opportunity to deliver on varsity. Harvey did see some action for the varsity team last season, but the reps mostly were on defense. He had only seven carries for 93 yards.
Peralta said Harvey stood out in the months before high school athletics were shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic. Harvey continued to work on his game at home in those six months the team was stuck home.
“We didn’t know if there was going to be a season at all, so this all feels like a blessing,” Harvey said.
Peralta said he was not surprised to see Harvey raring to go when the team resumed practices in September.
“When it comes to intangibles and character, Donovan is the No. 1-ranked guy in our program,” Peralta said. “He’s quiet and humble, but he’s also very hungry. He wants to be the best he can be, no matter what it is. He’s the same way in the classroom, so I had no doubt that he would be prepared once we got the all clear.”
Elsinore’s offense is a three-back scheme, and Harvey was expected to hold down one of those spots in his junior season. Senior Tim Goodman was the team’s No. 2 rusher last season (575 yards), but he is sidelined with an injury.
Bryce Roe (560 yards in 2019) moved out of state before the school year started.
Harvey has taken full advantage of the opportunity and hopes to continue that success.
“I want to make sure people mention my name when they talk about Elsinore’s best running backs,” he said.
Peralta said Harvey has all of the tools to make that happen.
“He has great vision and balance,” Peralta said. “You throw in some speed, athleticism and strength, and he is very tough to get a hold of and bring down. If he continues to work hard, there’s no doubt he will get there.
“I thought it might take a game or two for him to get used to the speed of the varsity game,” Peralta continued. “I think he has that down. Now, he has to show he can keep it up as the schedule gets tougher each week.”