Workhorse Backs, Pt. 1: The Flash That Burns Brightest

Every week, Arizona's high school football scene turns up another batch of jaw-dropping stat lines — but a handful of guys have separated themselves from the pack in a way that's hard to ignore.   These are the backs (and one dual-threat QB) who've hit the 200-yard, two-touchdown mark not once or twice, but at least three different times this season. That's a rare kind of dominance. Each of them brings something a little different to the table, whether it's bruising power, ridiculous burst, or field vision that looks straight out of a college film room. Here's a look at the players who've set the standard for what a truly elite Friday night looks like in Arizona this year.    He's putting up monster numbers for Millennium — 138 carries for 1,511 yards and 24 rushing touchdowns already — but the stats don't even tell the full story. On film, [player_tooltip player_id='1650526' first='D'Mari' last='Bryant'] looks like a coach's dream of balance and control: he's a one-cut back with purpose, hitting the line at full speed but somehow still making it look smooth. The power through contact jumps off the screen; guys bounce off him when they try to wrap high. Yet he's got finesse too, slipping past linemen with little hesitation moves that buy him just enough space to break daylight. What really makes him special is his tempo — he can lull a defense with patience, then hit the gas at just the right moment to turn a crease into a 40‑yard chunk. You can tell defenders start bracing for impact when he gets a lane, because he's not just trying to make a play, he's trying to wear you down by the fourth quarter. Tough, fluid, and flat‑out productive — Bryant looks like the kind of back who changes game plans every week.     Chuck Van Dyke's putting together a quietly dominant season at Paradise Honors — 1,255 yards on the ground, 13 total touchdowns, and even a bit of receiving production — but what really jumps off the tape is how he gets it done. He's the kind of runner who thrives in the chaos, letting the play develop before slipping through traffic like water through fingers. Patient behind his blockers, he times that moment perfectly when the puller clears and then explodes through the crease. He's not out there juking three guys at once; instead, he's calculated, reading leverage and just sliding past the tackler's reach to keep moving forward. There's something really steady and reliable about the way he runs — tough without being reckless, decisive without forcing it. Almost the opposite of Bryant's downhill power, Van Dyke makes his living by picking his spots, finding daylight where most backs would get swallowed up, and always seeming to come out the other side at full speed.     [player_tooltip player_id='1587267' first='KhaVontae' last='Paul'] is one of those quarterbacks who makes defenses pick their poison — and most weeks, they choose wrong. He's sitting at 1,212 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground, with another 987 and 10 scores through the air, and somehow looks like he's just getting started. Watching him play, you can see how much of Ironwood's offense revolves around his ability to stress defenses in every direction. The read-option isn't just a wrinkle with him — it's a nightmare. He rides that mesh just long enough to freeze the end, then bursts through the C-gap like he's been shot out of a cannon. Even when teams think they've contained him, he's got that extra gear that turns a good angle into a bad one. What really separates him, though, is how natural he looks doing it all; he's not panicking, not forcing it — just letting the game come to him and punishing whoever hesitates. Paul's got the rare kind of dual-threat ability that makes coordinators lose sleep, because when a quarterback can hit you for 70 on the ground or drop a dime over your head, there's just no good answer.     [player_tooltip player_id='1258668' first='Parker' last='Kaczmarek'] has been a hammer for Mesquite — 142 carries, 1,147 yards, and 20 touchdowns through just seven games — but those numbers only scratch the surface of what makes him such a handful to deal with. He runs like a linebacker who just happens to have a running back's patience and speed, waiting that extra half-second before hitting the gas through the smallest crease. When he lowers his pads, defenders stop wanting to tackle. There's real power there, but it's paired with surprising burst — that kind of breakaway gear that turns a routine inside zone into a footrace. He's not flashy, not a dancer, just relentless and efficient. He plays like a power back but somehow produces like a home-run hitter.     [player_tooltip player_id='885140' first='Jaylee' last='Abraham'] might be just a sophomore, but he's already playing like a seasoned vet. With 953 rushing yards, a ridiculous 9.9 yards per carry, and a somehow even more impressive 21 touchdowns, he's become Desert View's sparkplug every Friday night. What stands out most is his suddenness — that ability to make defenders miss in a phone booth and then hit another gear before they even recover. He's got that jittery quickness you can't coach, but what makes it special is how he uses it. He's not just running away from guys; he's reading them, baiting them, using their pursuit against them. One second he's stretching a play wide, the next he's planting and exploding upfield for a massive gain. Give him another offseason to bulk up, and he's going to be even more of a problem for everyone in 5A.     [player_tooltip player_id='1198983' first='Keshawn' last='Barkus'] has been the engine for Westwood this year, already over 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground, and it's easy to see why when you watch him play. He runs low and compact with that old-school pad level that makes him such a nightmare to bring down. The first guy almost never gets him — he keeps his legs churning, fights through contact, and turns what should be second-and-long into manageable downs. There's real toughness to his game, but it's not just power; he's got a natural feel for space and timing that helps him hit holes at the perfect moment. When he breaks into the open field, he's got enough burst to make defenses pay for lazy angles. He's one of those backs who plays with so much rhythm and confidence that it feels like he's in control of every snap — just a natural playmaker.     Kylin Jackson has been putting together one of the most efficient seasons in the state — 1,110 yards on the ground at nearly eight yards per carry, 13 touchdowns, and countless chunk plays that have turned Bradshaw Mountain drives into track meets. He's a long-strider who forces defenses to stretch horizontally, and once he hits the edge, it's basically over. There's something about his stride that looks effortless until you realize defenders are losing ground with every step. He's got the patience to press outside but the vision to cut underneath flow when linebackers over-pursue, and that balance makes him a nightmare to contain. Whether it's a toss, stretch, or zone read, Jackson hits the hole with confidence, trusting his speed to do the rest. He's even got the versatility to line up wide if needed, but honestly, things have been so good when handing him the ball that they haven't really had to touch that this season.

Every week, Arizona's high school football scene turns up another batch of jaw-dropping stat lines — but a handful of guys have separated themselves from the pack in a way that's hard to ignore.