Running to win
While the rest of his teammates milled about the start of Thursday’s football practice at East Valley High School, Austin Wardsworth emerged following a different dress code.
While his teammates pulled on green helmets, the Knights’ standout lineman carried a black headpiece by his side, the symbol of a season dedicated to running the football.
East Valley coach Adam Fisher awards players hash marks for exemplary plays during the season. When a player reaches a certain plateau, the hash marks come off and the helmet is painted black.
It’s a symbol of just how dedicated the Knights have been to running the football.
Class 3A East Valley boasted the Greater Spokane League’s second-best rushing offense in the regular season, racking up 2,215 yards to rank behind only Gonzaga Prep.
“We really work hard running the football,” Wardsworth said. “It helps to have Junior running the ball so well.”
Junior is junior Ryan Campbell, in his second season as the Knights’ leading rusher – matching his brother, Scott, who led the team in rushing in 2002 and 2003. Campbell led the GSL with 1,301 yards on 147 carries through the nine games of the regular season, posting a sterling 8.9 yards-per-carry average. His 25 regular-season touchdowns led the GSL in scoring.
“Ryan ran the ball well last year,” Wardsworth said. “This year he’s just that much more confident.”
And that much faster hitting the hole.
“We have a new running backs coach this year, and he had me get rid of my little stutter step before I hit the hole,” Campbell said. “I think I just have that much more confidence this year. Last year we were in the playoffs for the first time, and I didn’t really know what to expect. This year, we know what we have to do.”
After knocking off West Valley-Yakima for the second straight season to reach the state quarterfinals, the Knights are in Bellingham today to face top-ranked Ferndale at Civic Stadium. Kickoff is 3 p.m.
The Knights gave the Golden Eagles plenty to think about preparing for today’s showdown.
After running the ball so well during the regular season, the Knights took to the air to thump the Mid-Valley League Rams. Quarterback Jye Lanphere threw for a season-high 235 yards in a 24-6 victory Tuesday.
To go with Lanphere’s aerials, Campbell carried 22 times for 85 and two touchdowns against the Rams before taking an early seat.
“In a way, I’m glad we were able to throw the ball against them,” Campbell said, wearing a broad grin. “I didn’t get beat-up nearly as bad that way.”
Getting beaten up is part of the job description for Campbell, who weighs in at just 144 pounds. That means the linemen he attempts to squirt past are about twice his size.
In Ferndale, the Knights face a potential juggernaut.
The undefeated Golden Eagles (10-0) trounced neighboring Sehome, 74-0 in their regular-season finale. Quarterback Jake Locker, a 6-3, 210-pounder who has committed to play football at the University of Washington, threw three touchdown passes against the Mariners.
Meanwhile the team rushed 27 times for 416 yards as Sehome bunched eight players at the line of scrimmage.
Ferndale outscored opponents 567-106 during the regular season and allowed just one touchdown in Northwest League play.
No matter how gaudy Ferndale’s record, the Knights have been aiming for this game for a year.
The Knights lost in last year’s state quarterfinals, falling to Kelso 41-32.
“That game has been eating at us all year,” Wardsworth said. “We’ve all been totally dedicated to this season.”
Wardsworth has found added inspiration in the success, his former teammate, Ross Brunelle, who starts at fullback at the University of Montana.
“I’ve been talking to both Eastern Washington and Montana about playing there next year,” he said. “Where ever the money comes from, that’s where I’ll go.”
Campbell has his sights set on surpassing his brother’s career rushing marks, the second-best career total in GSL history.
“We talk about it every once in a while,” Ryan Campbell said. “He’s okay about my breaking his record. But when I started to get close to his touchdown record, he started to get mad. He’ll get over it, I’m sure. Especially if we go all the way and win a state championship.”