Shaq Powell broke loose for 242 of his 300 rushing yards after intermission.
Photo by Todd Shurtleff
The two best all-around players we saw live last year were named Shaq, Gorman's
Shaq Powell and
Grant (Sacramento, Calif.) running back/defensive back
Shaq Thompson, nicknamed Shaq Attack. We were actually hoping for a Shaq vs. Shaq showdown, but that matchup never materialized. Funny,
we featured Thompson two days after Powell put his name right at the top of the National Player of the Year watch list with career highs of 300 yards rushing and all six touchdowns in Saturday's win.
{VIDEO_5af3040b-881b-4d7c-a866-158629b6a9ef,floatRightWithBar}He added an interception for good measure.
Chaparral coach Charlie Ragle said before Saturday's game he wasn't totally convinced how stellar Powell was. But after he scored five touchdowns in the second half, leading a 35-8 onslaught, the former Arizona State assistant was quite convinced.
"He's even better than I thought," Ragle said. "He's definitely the best player on their team. And that's saying something."
Indeed, Gorman's line play was dominant the second half, paving the way to 482 total yards, 368 on the ground. The Gaels kept going left behind Division I prospects
Ronnie Stanley (6-6, 290), a tackle, and guard
Ron Scoggins (6-3, 300). Call it Ron-Ron left.
Ronnie Stanley preys on a defenseless defender.
Photo by Chris Pondy
