The amazing season for
Oil City (Pa.) running back
Ethen Knox came to an end Friday with a 41-28 loss to Slippery Rock in the first round of the playoffs. With 353 yards on 39 carries in his final game, the 6-foot-1, 190-pound junior finished his historic campaign with 3,705 yards on 385 carries in just 10 games. His Oilers finished 7-3.
Time to put his incredible rushing numbers into perspective.
* The 3,705 yards rank No. 4 all-time in Pennsylvania behind
Dominick Bragalone of
South Williamsport with 4,704,
Zack Barkett of
Schuylkill Haven with 4,187 and Austin Scott of
Parkland (Allentown) with 3,846. It's also No. 23 all-time nationally behind No. 22
DeShawn Smith of
Nature Coast Tech (Brooksville, Fla.) with 3,715 yards.
* In addition, his rushing yardage total of 3,705 yards are the most yards ever gained in high school history in a 10-game season. The previous record was 3,690 by W.C. Roberts of McMinnville (Tenn.), now known as Warren County, set in 1928.
Ethen Knox did all he could do in Oil City's playoff loss last weekend, carrying 39 times for 353 yards and two touchdowns. (File Photo: Eric Elliott)
* The 370.5 yards per game is believed to be the second-highest average behind John Giannantonio of Netcong (N.J.), who reportedly had over 3,000 yards in eight games in 1950. While the exact total is not known, the average would be over 375 yards per game.
* Knox's six 400-yard games in a season breaks the old record of four held by
Derrick Henry of
Yulee (Fla.). His seven 400-yard games in a career breaks the old record of four, held by Henry.
* Eight games of 300 yards or more yards ranks third all-time behind Tyler Ebell of
Ventura (Calif.), who had 10, and Bragalone, who had nine. Henry also had eight. It is not known how many 300-yard games Roberts or Giannantonio had.
* The 38.5 carries per game rank second all-time to Kevin Stanfield of Coffee (Ala.), who had 43.2 carries in 1978, according to the Alabama High School Athletic Association.
* The 3,705 yards is the second-highest total by a junior.
Daniel Bangura of
Harvest Prep (Canal Winchester, Ohio) holds the record with 4,128 yards.
