It was a big week for running backs as three MaxPreps Player of the Year candidates went over 200 yards on the ground.
Malcolm Jones of Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, Calif.) racked up a much-needed 275 yards and three touchdowns on 37 carries as the Lions struggled to dispatch Alemany of Mission Hills, 28-17.
Texas back Traylon Shead, who has an outside shot at threatening the all-time national rushing mark, added 290 more yards on the ground to bring his career total to 8,050 yards.
Pennsylvania sophomore Rushel Shell of Hopewell (Aliquippa) tallied 257 yards and four touchdowns on just 13 carries in his first game since being named MaxPreps.com National Freshman of the Year last season.
Several players made their 2009 debuts this weekend and most were impressive in victorious efforts.
The exception was Lache Seastrunk of Temple, Texas. Despite ripping off a 49-yard touchdown on his first carry of the season, he was limited to 80 yards on 16 carries as Cedar Park downed Temple, 28-14.
Malcolm Jones was impressive in his 2009 debut with 275 yards and three touchdowns on 37 carries.
File photo by Sal Curiel
Player of the Year Watch List
Teddy Bridgewater, Jr., QB/WR, Northwestern (Miami, Fla.)
Season Opener: Bridgewater led Northwestern (1-0) to a 27-6 win over city rival Carol City, connecting on 8 of 21 pass attempts for 147 yards and a touchdown and rushing for 76 more and a pair of TDs.
Anthony Carrothers, Sr., QB, Independence (Charlotte, N.C.)
Last Game: Independence (3-0) held on late to knock off South Pointe (Rock Hill, S.C.), 35-32. Carrothers threw for 159 yards and accounted for four touchdowns.
Season: 717 passing yards and 8 TD passes, 3 rushing TDs
Austin Collinsworth, Sr., RB/WR/DB, Highlands (Fort Thomas, Ky.)
Last Game: Highlands (3-0) got 161 yards and two touchdowns – including a 71-yard scoring jaunt – on just eight carries from Collinsworth in a 48-20 win over Beechwood.
Season: 35 carries, 351 yards, 8 TDs; 3 receptions, 27 yards; 489 all-purpose yards
Mike Dyer, Sr., RB, Little Rock Christian Academy (Little Rock, Ark.)
Season Opener: Dyer piled up 187 yards and four touchdowns on 24 carries in a 28-22 win over Oak Grove of North Little Rock.
Jake Heaps, Sr., QB, Skyline (Sammamish, Wash.)
Season Opener: In a battle of top-ranked teams from two Northwest states, Heaps completed 18 of 33 passes for 152 yards and a pair of touchdown passes to lead Skyline (1-0) past Jesuit of Portland, Ore.
Malcolm Jones, Sr., RB/LB, Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, Calif.)
Season Opener: Jones turned in a big effort in a 28-17 win for Oaks Christian (1-0) over Alemany, running 37 times for 275 yards and three touchdowns.
Ryan Kasdorf, Sr., QB, Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.)
Last Game: Notre Dame opens season Monday night against Klein Oak (Spring, Texas).
Marcus Lattimore, Sr., RB, Byrnes (Duncan, S.C.)
Last Game: Byrnes (1-0) flexed its muscle again with a 65-14 drumming of Myrtle Beach as Lattimore cranked out 152 yards and a pair of touchdowns on the ground.
Season: 285 rushing yards, 5 rushing TDs
Mark Miller, Sr., QB, Elder (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Last Game: In front of 10,000 fans and an ESPN television audience, Miller hit on 19 of 27 passes for 225 yards and two touchdowns as Elder (2-0) knocked off fellow Cincinnati power Colerain, 20-7.
Season: 37 of 57, 422 passing yards, 5 TD passes
Corey Nelson, Sr., LB, Skyline (Dallas, Texas)
Season Opener: No stats available at press time from a 51-2 Skyline (1-0) blowout over Kimball.
Kevin (K.P.) Parks, Sr., RB, West Rowan (Mt. Ulla, N.C.)
Last Game: West Rowan (3-0) needed all of Parks’ 188 yards and two touchdowns on 33 carries in a 39-36 win over Davie.
Season: 690 rushing yards, 10 rushing TDs
Lache Seastrunk, Sr., RB, Temple (Texas)
Season Opener: Seastrunk broke Temple’s school rushing record, but likely would have traded that honor for a win as Cedar Park downed Temple (0-1). Seastrunk scored from 49 yards out on his first carry of the season and finished with 80 yards on 16 carries.
Traylon Shead, Sr., RB, Cayuga (Texas)
Last Game: Shead amassed 290 yards and three touchdowns on 26 carries as Cayuga (1-1) hammered Grand Saline 46-6.
Season: 52 carries, 456 rushing yards, 5 rushing TDs. Shead is 3,182 yards away from the national rushing mark of 11,232 yards held by Ken Hall of Sugar Land, Texas.
Rushel Shell, So., RB, Hopewell (Aliquippa, Pa.)
Season Opener: A new addition to the list this week, Shell was MaxPreps.com’s National Freshman of the Year last fall and followed with a big performance in his sophomore debut. In a 47-6 Hopewell victory over Knoch, Shell ran for 257 yards and four touchdowns (4, 70, 66 and 56 yards) on 13 carries.
Phillip Sims, Sr., QB, Oscar Smith (Chesapeake, Va.)
Last Game: Did not play this week. Returns Sept. 11 against Indian River.
Season: 15 of 19 passing, 265 yards, TD
Robert Woods, Sr., WR, Serra (Gardena, Calif.)
Season Opener: Woods caught six passes for 82 yards and a score and watched the second half from the sidelines as Serra (1-0) crushed Silverado 61-0.
Scotty Young, Sr., QB, Ryan (Denton, Texas)
Last Game: Another week, another monster passing effort for Young. In a 64-36 Ryan (2-0) victory over Pearce, Young completed 26 of 38 passes for 367 yards and six touchdowns.
Season: 39 of 56 passing, 632 passing yards, 12 TD passes (Ryan averaging 60.5 points per game)
