The 5-foot-11 (at most) and slow Sean Zentmeyer has 1,172 yards and 13 touchdowns for Durant entering the playoffs.
By MIKE READLING
Published November 14, 2003
DURANT - Everything that is important to and about Sean Zentmeyer could be learned by watching one game.
It took place Oct. 16 at Ron Frost Stadium. Lakeland was the opponent, and a district championship hung in the balance.
The Cougar senior took his position in the wing-T offense but was consistently stopped for gains of 2, 3, sometimes 4 yards. Nothing like the 6, 7 and 8 yards to which he had become accustomed. But he kept at it, kept pounding into the line, getting up and walking back to the huddle.
Durant scored. Lakeland scored. Durant scored again, this time on a 75-yard run by Zentmeyer as he broke outside. It was a long run, but it was one of those long runs you knew would be the exception, rather than the rule, against the Dreadnaughts defense.
Well, everyone else seemed to know that. Zentmeyer still pounded into the line, trying to find his way to another long run.
In true Zentmeyer fashion, it finally came. With 4:41 remaining in the game, he took a handoff, spurted through the line to the left and not only outran everyone on the field, left them in the dust as he accelerated away.
Durant coach Mike Gottman said the burst of speed was a total shock to him and was pretty sure Zentmeyer didn't know he was that fast either.
"No, I didn't," Zentmeyer said. "I saw it on film, and I just broke away. When we ran the 40 before the season, I ran a 4.85. That looked more like a 4.5 or 4.6 to me."
Durant lost the game but still won the district title. It faces Chamberlain at 7:30 tonight in a Class 5A region quarterfinal game.
One of the Cougars' showcase players will be Zentmeyer, the small running back who looks slow but has enough confidence in himself to disprove those people who doubt him. And there are plenty of those.
The Durant roster lists Zentmeyer at 5 feet, 11 inches, though that's probably generous. At first glance, he's not all that striking as a running back. He doesn't exude speed.
But you have to watch him play. That's all he asks.
You don't rush for 1,172 yards and 13 touchdowns in this county unless you have something going for you. For Zentmeyer, that something is sheer willpower. Oh, and a little bit of talent.
He has played running back since he was 8 years old and wore a Pinecrest Pilots uniform. Now his back is against the wall as far as still being able to wear a uniform at all.
He has sent highlight tapes to colleges. Virginia, South Florida, Wofford, Western Carolina, Florida State, Florida, Central Florida and Virginia Tech got tapes.
"I haven't heard anything back from any of them," Zentmeyer said.
Then he corrected himself.
"Wait, Virginia Tech sent my tape back. I think they said they had already recruited somebody at my position. I didn't really read the note. I just figured they didn't want me, so I didn't care why not."
But it hasn't stopped him.
To Zentmeyer, colleges ignoring him is just another wall he must figure out a way to get through. It's not the end of the world, and it's certainly not the most important thing when Durant takes the field tonight.
