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Scholastic Notebook
By Rich Emert
Valley News Dispatch

A unique thing happened at Friday's Hopewell-Keystone Oaks game. Not one, not two, not three, but four Hopewell players rushed for more than 100 yards.

"I've been in the business for 32 years and I can't remember that happening,'' Hopewell coach Andy Robertson said. "I didn't even know it happened until I got home after the game and somebody called and told me.''

Hopewell defeated Keystone Oaks 32-0 and rushed for 495 yards in the Class AAA Parkway Conference game. Fullback Josh Long gained 141 yards on 18 carries, running back Jason Burkett finished with 121 yards on 10 carries, reserve fullback B.J. Samuel gained 108 yards on eight carries and quarterback Chris Krayniewski had 103 yards on 12 carries.

The Vikings shifted to the run oriented Delaware Wing-T offense two years ago, so running the ball that much is not unusual for them. Still, most coaches are pleased if they have two players gain more than 100 yards in a single game.

"The big thing is that Samuel is a pretty good back up,'' Robertson said. "And our quarterback was running the option well. We only scored 32 points, so it wasn't as if we were trying to run the score up or anything.''

Hopewell's other starting running back is Ryan Bokor. He gained just eight yards on two attempts and Robertson said he should have given Bokor the football more.

"I felt bad about that afterward, but he's one of the best blocking backs around,'' Robertson said. "Those other guys were gaining those yards because he was out there leading them.''

Secret weapon: Ambridge defeated Chartiers Valley 28-27 behind the running of senior tailback Jess Brinson. He finished with 295 yards rushing on 34 carries, which is thought to be a school record.

"Nobody knows if it's a record or not, but no one can remember anybody rushing for any more than that,'' Ambridge coach Terry George said. "Jess had a heck of a game and I think he's one of the best kept secret around.''

Brinson appears to be the entire package. At 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, he has size. He is a sprinter on the schools track team and has been timed at 10.9 seconds in the 100-meter dash. Plus, he has a 3.5 grade point average and has scored more than 1,000 on the Scholastic Assessment Test.

"If he gets a straight line to the goal nobody is going to catch him,'' George said. "If a defense can make him stop and cut a little, then it has a chance to bring him down.''

George said Brinson attended Penn State's camp this past summer and was timed at 4.37 seconds in the 40. George said Brinson isn't that fast.

"We've had him at 4.5 a couple of times on pavement, which is pretty good,'' George said. "Cincinnati has already made him an offer. After the game he had the other night, I suspect more people will be checking him out.''

Big back: At the start of the season, Franklin Regional coach Greg Botta thought about moving B.J. Evangelista from fullback to guard in the Panthers offense. He ultimately scrapped the idea and for a good reason.

At fullback, Evangelista, who checks in at 6-2 and 250 pounds, is tough to bring down. In Friday's 16-0 victory at Kiski Area Evangelista rushed twice for 20 yards. Botta wishes Evangelista's number had been called more.

"They (Kiski Area) were taking away our outside zone game, so I kept telling our guys to give it to B.J. up the middle,'' Botta said. "When we did give him the ball you saw what happened. He's just so big and strong that he's tough to stop.''

Evangelista has verbally committed to Penn State and will probably play linebacker in college. He's a terror on defense for Franklin Regional, but don't rule out running back.

Nice move: At the start of the season Bobby Woods was battling for the starting quarterback spot at Freeport. It looks as if he has found a home at wide receiver.

Woods, who is 6-1 and 160, caught eight passes for 220 yards as Freeport lost to Mars 42-20. The catches and yards are a Freeport single game record according to coach Sam Albert.

"I like to take my backup quarterback and move him to wide receiver because he's usually one of the best athletes on the team,'' Albert said. "But I had no idea Bobby would have the ability to play the position so well. He made some great adjustments on passes and has good speed.

"I don't know what's going to happen, but I suspect if he keeps this up he could draw some attention for Division I schools next year. I think he's that good.''

On the run: The Slippery Rock Invitational was held last Saturday and, as expected, North Allegheny and Baldwin captured the girls and boys Class AAA team championships on the 3.1-mile course. North Allegheny finished with 53 points, while Seneca Valley was second with 92. On the boys side, Baldwin had 52 points and North Allegheny was second at 79.

In Class AA, West Allegheny won the girls team title with 80 points and Ellwood City was second with 110. Union City won the Class AA boys title with 72 and Greensburg Central Catholic was second with 153.

Individual winners were: Carrie Hucko, North Allegheny, won the girls Class AAA race in 19 minutes, 15 seconds; Lauren Shaffer, West Allegheny, girls Class AA in 19:28; Scott Munro, South Park, boys Class AA 16:39; and Ryan Sheehan, Baldwin, boys Class AAA in 16:35.

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