Print
Email Story
One thousand yards. That's just over half a mile.
It's an easy trek on a beautiful day with a pair of good running shoes and your I-Pod on your hip.
But try doing it on Friday night with 11 athletes in full pads trying to stop you. These six players all accomplished that rare feat, and more, last season.
Jake McKinney, Richland
One of Jake McKinney's favorite photos appeared on the Tri-City Herald website after Richland's 47-15 Week 10 trouncing of Rogers at Bomber Field last season.
It's a shot of him busting through a truck-sized chasm in the Pirates' defense thanks to several pancake blocks by his trusty offensive line. He finished the game with 159 yards and a touchdown, and capped his season with 1,272 yards and 10 rushing TDs.
McKinney may get much of the spotlight -- the student section chants his name after he makes a big run -- but like every good back, the 6-foot-2, 200-pound senior knows he can't do it alone.
"(The offensive line is) almost all returning from last year," he said. "It feels like we're right where we left off. But experience is going to make us better."
Richland has two other quality running backs in junior B.K. Robinson and senior Gage Reynolds, who will split anywhere from 15-25 carries per game. But McKinney will still get the lion's share of touches.
"Nobody will be surprised at what he does this year," Richland coach Mike Neidhold said.
-- Jack Millikin
Dallin Palmer, Southridge
Before he even put on a Suns game jersey for the first time, Palmer already was speeding through the CBBN ranks.
Word of the Idaho import with dazzling moves and an extra gear was traveling fast, and all the coaches wanted to see what he could do.
What he did was run for 1,317 yards and 14 touchdowns, earning him a share of the Columbia Division offensive MVP award.
"He's a dynamic kid, and we have to really build a program around him," said first-year head coach and longtime assistant Tony Reiboldt.
To that end, the Suns are looking for new ways to get the ball in Palmer's hands. Last season, with a big, experienced line to lead the way, almost all of his touches were straight handoffs.
This season, with most of those linemen graduated, Palmer will line up all over the field in offensive coordinator Jason DeVere's new system.
"Coach DeVere has brought a lot of new ideas to the offense," Palmer said. "I'll be out in space more, up the middle some, line up in a wide receiver spot, get the toss. ... It's a lot more involved mentally, more complex."
Like a lot of good players, Palmer comes into the season with a chip on his shoulder. He's heard the talk that his numbers were less about his running and more about having a great offensive line.
"There's always people doubting, and of course (the line) did a good job," he said. "They're the unsung heroes. But the bottom line is, it's not about the numbers, it's about winning."
-- Kevin Anthony
Isaac Anderson, Prosser
When Isaac Anderson earned a varsity jersey last year as a sophomore, he had no idea it would get such a workout.
The 5-foot-8, 160-pound running back thought he would get some special team duties and a few carries at the end of the game, but to his good fortune, he was pressed into duty when a senior running back was ineligible the first couple games of the season.
"I was surprised," Anderson said of his playing time. "I went into the season not expecting a whole lot. I was just a sophomore and we had a couple of seniors backs and one of the best (offensive) lines in the valley."
And it didn't take Prosser coach Benji Sonnichsen long to realize he'd found something special.
"He's not the biggest of kids, but he's stronger and faster than he was as a sophomore," Sonnichsen said. "We will use him in different ways. We will use his as a wide receiver as well."
Anderson rolled up 1,281 yards and 13 touchdowns last season. He had a game-high of 237 yards against Grandview the last game of the regular season.
"He was the leading rusher in the CWAC last year and one of the top players coming back," Sonnichsen said. "He touches the ball, he can be gone. He's a big play kind of kid."
Anderson was three yards shy of tying Ivan Merino's single-season rushing record (1,284 set in 2005) last season. He said it would be nice to have the record, but he'd rather bring Prosser back to a championship level.
"As much as I'd like to do it for myself, my team is more important than me," Anderson said. "I will keep running for my team."
-- Annie Fowler
Matt Hadley, Connell
Note to defensive units facing Connell's Hadley: you are in trouble.
The 1A all-state player gained 30 pounds of muscle this offseason -- going from 160 to 190 pounds -- and he honed his craft at a number of camps.
Plus, he'll be running behind a rather large offensive line after gaining 1,823 yards and 23 TDs and leading the Eagles to their second state championship.
"He's a little heavier this year," said Connell coach Wayne Riner. "he has unbelievable vision, and he's got a knack for the football. He makes me look good, and he's gonna be fun to watch."
-- Jeff Morrow
Chance Watt, River View
Watt is a standout wrestler for the Panthers in the winter. That said, he's also a pretty good running back.
"He's a real quick kid but with not a lot of straight-line speed," said River View coach Brett Jay. "But he's extremely shifty and he makes people miss. His level of balance is due to his footwork from wrestling."
His hands make him doubly dangerous. While the Panthers' no-huddle offense looks to throw the ball downfield, Watt can burn defenses not only by running with the ball, but catching a pass out of the backfield.
"And not just in the flat," Jay adds, "but downfield too."
-- Jeff Morrow
Kyle Lindgren, DeSales
Lindgren was a force in the DeSales' running game last season, racking up 1,182 yards on 167 carries and eight TDs. Lindgren, a first-team All-Souteast 2B selection, is confident about the upcoming season.
"We're very optimistic, ready for the season to start," said Lindgren, who credits the school's strength program for preparing him and his teammates for the upcoming season.
-- Rocky Morrow
