Rush Hour, Pt.1: Big-School RBs Commanding the Ground in Week 1

Football season has officially kicked off for all high schools in Arizona and we were quickly reminded over the weekend why this is always one of the best times of the year. There were astonishing performances all over the state; and as much as we all love to fawn over a high-flying passing attack, we saw some stellar showings on the ground as well. So, we're diving into the top rushing performances from 4A, 5A, and 6A schools in Week 1. With all the standout showings from both running backs and quarterbacks, we had to split our coverage into two parts! Focusing on RBs, here are the standouts from each division:   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">6A</h2>   [player_tooltip player_id='1242301' first='Bentley' last='Corbin'] - O'Connor: 212-12 | 17.67 Y/A | 4 TDs [player_tooltip player_id='1242301' first='Bentley' last='Corbin'] had potentially the best rushing performance of the entire week, and only needed one half to do it. His number was called 12 times in the first two quarters, averaging an astonishing 17.7 yards per carry and getting into the endzone on a third of his touches. In a 49-0 blowout against Chaparral, Corbin had done so much damage in the first half alone, that his day ended at the game's break. His strength and speed are undeniable and he's shown great patience behind the line of scrimmage, allowing his stellar line to get their footing and open holes. When he gets to the second level he shows you why he's such a difference-maker with his refined footwork that helps him to work his way around would-be tacklers. If this is what Corbin did in just a half, imagine the numbers he would've put up in a full four quarters.   [player_tooltip player_id='975177' first='Kyler' last='Drunasky'] — Desert Vista: 201-26 | 7.73 Y/A | 5 TDs In his first game as a junior, [player_tooltip player_id='975177' first='Kyler' last='Drunasky'] found his way into the endzone a whopping FIVE times! Surpassing 200 yards along the way, Desert Vista's workhorse of a running back was given the rock 26 times and didn't seem to be lightening up in the fourth quarter. His conditioning and toughness really shined as he took the big hits and popped up ready to take a handoff on the next play as well. The shifty and agile Drunasky was hard for Cinega's defense to get a good grip on, never mind bringing him to the ground. With a few more outings like this one, folks might start calling him Kyler DruNASTY.   [player_tooltip player_id='1116108' first='Beckham' last='Barney'] — Mountain View: 101-15 | 6.73 Y/A | 3 TDs One of the best linebackers in the entire state, [player_tooltip player_id='1116108' first='Beckham' last='Barney'], showed everyone that he's more than just a defensive star. Playing out in California against El Camino High School, Barney put up an impressive three-touchdown game on the way to a 42-20 victory for the Toros. Rushing for more than 100 yards on 15 carries, he was doing a bit of everything for his team. Defensively, the hard-hitting LB has incredible instincts and managed eight total tackles, including two for loss. On the offensive side of the ball, Barney turns into an agile back who still has that power that's shown so often on defense. With that type of versatility, he's going to make a huge impact on Mountian View's success this season.   [player_tooltip player_id='1419979' first='Esteban' last='Demby-Lamas'] — Liberty: 109-11 | 9.91 Y/A | 0 TDs With Liberty's defense pitching a shutout against Desert Edge, the Lions managed to get three of their running backs 10 or more carries. [player_tooltip player_id='1419979' first='Esteban' last='Demby-Lamas'] made sure to take full advantage of all 11 times he was handed the ball. He was able to average gaining just under 10 yards each time and finished the game with 109 yards on the ground. Demby-Lamas' vision was really impressive with well-timed cuts consistently getting into the second level of the defense. Liberty's senior running back Dominic Lombardo also had a dominant outing as well, finding his way into the endzone three times. With this impressive tag team in the backfield giving time for their talented defense to rest, the defending Open Division champions are going to be a tough out again this year.   ALA Queen Creek Duo of Nesbit & Brown: [player_tooltip player_id='739456' first='Bobby' last='Nesbit']: 118-16 | 7.38 Y/A | 1 TD Brandon Brown: 108-18 | 6.00 Y/A | 2 TDs ALA Queen Creek is a team that has a chance to truly surprise some people in 2024. With loads of talent on both sides of the ball and some strong leadership coming from the veterans on their roster, I can't imagine it would be a surprise to them. They were able to show just how dangerous they can be in a convincing 38-10 win over Saguaro. Starring on the offensive side of the football in the blowout victory was the impressive duo of [player_tooltip player_id='739456' first='Bobby' last='Nesbit'] and Brandon Brown. Both running backs amassed over 100 yards, scored a touchdown, and averaged over 6 yards a carry. Combining for 236 yards on the day, they each showed the ability to make players miss, while also highlighting their individual strengths that pair so well together. With Nesbit being a slightly more agile and speedy back, Brown brings a lot of power and toughness. It's still early, but Nesbit and Brown have an opportunity to be one of the top running back duos in the state.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">5A</h2>   [player_tooltip player_id='1353906' first='Jason' last='Samis'] — Notre Dame Prep: 149-12 | 12.42 Y/A | 3 TDs   At 6'0" 215 lbs as a running back, [player_tooltip player_id='1353906' first='Jason' last='Samis'] has all the strength and power that you'd expect from someone of his stature. What did catch me by surprise is the speed he has once he gets going. If he gets a free lane, there's no telling when Samis will get brought down; often outrunning defenders much smaller than him with a full head of steam. Also big and strong enough to be a true asset in the passing game to protect his quarterback, he has all the tools to excel at the next level. In Notre Dame Prep's Week 1 49-0 shutout of Goldwater, Samis averaged getting a first down and then some (12.4 Y/A!!) each time he was given the rock.   Javion Alston — Dobson: 207-18 | 11.5 Y/A | 1 TD Javion Alston was effortlessly breaking tackles in his first game as a senior for Dobson's offense. Possessing a nice blend of power and agility, Alston has a deep bag of tricks when it comes to making defenders miss. Whether it's using his quick feet to get around them or lowering his shoulder to go through them, Alston can do it all. Another player to average more than a first down every time he was given the ball, his slipperiness made him hard to bring down even when Cibola's defenders were able to get a hand on him. After a week one showing like this — being the only running back in 4A to surpass 200 yards on the ground — Alston is a player to keep a close eye on as he works through his final high school football season.   [player_tooltip player_id='368928' first='Zach' last='Thompson'] — Gilbert: 134-14 | 9.57 Y/A | 2 TDs One of the most college-ready running backs that I've watched in some time, [player_tooltip player_id='368928' first='Zach' last='Thompson'] has all the tools he needs to excel at the next level. His strong base gives him good power and makes him difficult to bring to the ground, even when attacking his legs, while his quick feet allow him to work through the chaos of the trenches without being sucked into it by stronger defensive linemen. Thompson's vision may be his best asset, consistently making the right decisions when it comes to when to cut back and what holes to hit. Finding his way into the endzone twice in Week 1 while averaging 9.5 yards per rush is going to be just the beginning for Gilbert's game-changer.   [player_tooltip player_id='595765' first='Bodie' last='Zamorano'] — Horizon: 102-12 | 8.5 Y/A | 3 TDs [player_tooltip player_id='595765' first='Bodie' last='Zamorano'] burst onto the scene last year as a sophomore for Horizon's offense. Rushing for more than 100 yards an astonishing nine (9!!) times in 5A as a sophomore is no small feat, but it also set a lofty bar for himself now in his junior year. Picking up right where he left off, Zamorano was given the ball 12 times in Week 1 and ended with 102 yards and three scores. The quick-footed back gets up to speed in the blink of an eye and is a constant threat to score with the ball in his hands.   Jake King — Cactus Shadows: 101-9 | 11.22 Y/A | 3 TDs Jake King has some lightning-quick feet out of the backfield for Cactus Shadows. Making Camelback's defenders miss seemed like an effortless task for him in Week 1 on his way to 101 yards. He was also able to find his way into the endzone three times in Cactus Shadows' 69-14 win and made the defense pay every time he took a handoff, averaging over 11 yards per attempt. With King's speed out of the backfield, this team has a true two-headed rushing monster in their backfield — but only one of them is a running back. (Be sure to check out part 2 to find out more.)   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">4A</h2>   Jadon Wetzel — Flagstaff: 203-22 | 9.23 Y/A | 2 TDs In Week 1, there's no doubt that Jadon Wetzel proved that he can be a workhorse back who will grind out games while taking a heavy workload. Running the ball 26 times in a tight 27-21 win over Gila Ridge, Wetzel took some huge shots and was able to hop up like nothing had happened. In fact, there were many times throughout the game where Wetzel was the one delivering the blows by lowering his shoulder and going through defenders. A team that already has a nice passing attack behind quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='739447' first='Chase' last='Brown'], Flagstaff has a chance to make some noise with a dynamic rushing game through Wetzel as well.   [player_tooltip player_id='1369386' first='Javon' last='Bell'] — Peoria: 116-11 | 10.54 Y/A | 2 TDs [player_tooltip player_id='1369386' first='Javon' last='Bell'] is the definition of toughness and effort as a running back. Not only does he run incredibly hard, but he's also so difficult to bring to the ground. With his strong and sturdy base, arm tackles just fall right off him without hardly affecting his footing. His size and strength make him a good blocker in the passing game and has some surprising top-end speed for a 215 lb running back that doubles as a defensive end. Finding his way into the endzone twice in his first game as a junior, Bell has made himself a player to watch this season.   [player_tooltip player_id='1145561' first='Noah' last='Romo'] — Estrella Foothills: 105-9 | 11.67 Y/A | 2 TDs Playing as an H-Back/WR mix, [player_tooltip player_id='1145561' first='Noah' last='Romo'] is a dynamic player any time he gets the ball in his hands for Estrella Foothills' offense. He was handed the ball just nine times but was able to make the most of them. The incredibly speedy Romo finished the game with 105 yards and two trips into the endzone. He was one of three of the team's players to reach 100+ yards on the ground, one of which being senior tailback AJ Horne who ended with 120 yards and a score on 22 carries. If Week 1 was any indication, the Estrella Foothills ground game is going to be a handful for any defense.   [player_tooltip player_id='1145493' first='Elijah' last='Little'] — Thunderbird: 144-17 | 8.5 Y/A | 2 TD Coming off a junior season that saw him finish with just under 1,800 yards on the ground, [player_tooltip player_id='1145493' first='Elijah' last='Little'] didn't seem to have any rust coming out in Week 1 of his senior year. He finished a dominant 34-0 win over Moon Valley with 144 yards on 17 attempts for an average of 8.5 yards per rush. Finding his way into the endzone twice, Little was able to show why he's viewed as one of the top backs in the state, regardless of division. His incredibly quick feet get him to the second level of the defense in a hurry and he has some surprising strength for a player with a smaller frame. There's no telling the impact that Little will have on the Thunderbird offense this year; but as long as he's playing, they're going to be difficult for every defense they face in 2024.

Football season has officially kicked off for all high schools in Arizona and we were quickly reminded over the weekend why this is always one of the best times of the year. There were astonishing performances all over the state; and as much as we all love to fawn over a high-flying passing attack, we saw some stellar showings on the ground as well. So, we're diving into the top rushing performances from 4A, 5A, and 6A schools in Week 1. With all the standout showings from both running backs and quarterbacks, we had to split our coverage into two parts! Focusing on RBs, here are the standouts from each division: