Preps

Eagles rely on quintet to run ball

Springstead hopes its four running backs and quarterback Ian Wald help keep opposing offenses off the field.

SPRING HILL - If a Springstead back has a choice between staying in a running lane, where he has a sure 4 yards, or cutting back across the field, coach Bill Vonada has made it clear which he wants.

"We always tell our backs, "Take the sure 4,"' Vonada said.

Vonada follows the same maxim in distributing carries.

Rather than depend on a single do-it-all back to move the ball down the field, Springstead spreads its touches among four backs and quarterback Ian Wald.

The system worked effectively during Saturday's 10-7 victory against Hernando. Five ballcarriers combined for 208 yards on 54 carries (3.9 per attempt) as the Eagles' ball-control attack kept the Leopards' quicker offense off the field.

By moving the ball on the ground and picking up 17 first downs, Springstead ran 62 offensive plays to Hernando's 27. The Eagles kept the game close until Tim Dow's 5-yard run with 53 seconds left put them ahead to stay.

Vonada uses a backfield by committee for three reasons: to take advantage of each back's strengths, to keep their legs fresh and to reward them for their hard work during practice.

Dow, a junior, is a punishing straight-ahead runner. Junior Joe Merando has good field vision. Senior Jose Yearwood is a slasher. Sophomore Quinden Floyd possesses great speed and leg power.

Leave them together long enough, and they start to resemble each other.

"Even though each of them has a distinct style, each of them has been starting to try and emulate the others now, trying to pick up the other guys' strengths," Vonada said. "So you'll see a guy who maybe before was more of a cutback guy trying to lower the shoulder. And you'll see Tim, who is more of a run-guys-over guy, he'll make the cut for the opening."

Yearwood led the way against Hernando with 73 yards on 15 carries. Dow had 67 on a team-high 18 totes. Floyd (16 yards) and Merando (12 yards) combined for 28 yards on nine attempts.

Even Wald got into the act. The junior quarterback gained 40 yards on 12 carries and scored on a two-point conversion run. His 4-yard scamper around left end set up Dow's score.

Wald is a threat to run no matter what play is called.

"He's certainly not afraid to pull it down and run it," Vonada said. "That came up big in a couple of plays the other night."

Of course, Springstead would have gone nowhere without a strong effort up front from right tackle Broc Olejniczak, right guard William Wilson, center Joe Vitale, left guard Eric Bruscino, left tackle Charles Gonyea and Calder Simmons, who filled in when Bruscino left with an ankle sprain.

"I think the fresh legs in the backfield certainly had a lot to do with that, but really, the credit has to come to the guys up front," Vonada said. "They just did a tremendous job of opening up holes, of getting us that initial push.

"That was the key to moving the chains."

- Frank Pastor can be reached at 800 333-7505, ext. 1430. Send e-mail to pastor@sptimes.com

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