The Wildcats banked on Aaron Dickler's versatility this season and the senior has come through by lining up at tailback and, for the second straight year, replacing injured starter Nigel Bryant at tailback. With 359 rushing yards and six touchdowns (four yards more than Bryant and the same number of scores), Dickler is hard to bring down. Nonetheless, Times staff writer Steve Lee tackles Dickler in a one-on-one.
You were the man in the win over Ridgewood, gaining 138 rushing yards and two touchdowns as the primary ballcarrier. Do you want the ball more?
Yes. Being a running back, especially with all the good running backs in Pasco County, it's everyone's dream to be the featured back for the week. I got to do that.
You're a tailback in the Wing-T who filled in for Nigel last year. What are you, his understudy?
He's always been ahead of me (on the depth chart at fullback). This year, we're kind of equal. I just moved over from tailback.
Don't you want the glory?
Not really. I'd love to have the ball every play, but that's not how it goes when you're on a winning team.
Take your pick: sticking it to a ballcarrier or running over a defender.
I'm not really known as a tackler. I'd rather have the interception. And I'd rather make somebody miss on offense.
So how do you put fear in a would-be tackler?
My first three or four carries I try to run around them and when I get them thinking I'm going to juke I run them over. I even do that in practice.
What are you afraid of?
Getting hurt. I twisted my left ankle really bad (last season). It was scary and crazy and all that good stuff. I taped it up and wore a brace.
You're also on the track team (100, 200, relays, long jump and pole vault). What's your favorite sport?
What would (football) coach (John Castelamare) want to hear? Football. For me, personally, I guess I'm better at track. If anybody screws up, it's me. I'm going to states this year.
You beat Ridgewood 21-0 and coach Cas chews you out. What's up with that?
Lots of dumb penalties (Wesley Chapel was flagged 10 times for 80 yards in that game); holding, pass interference. I had a pass interference (call) on me. We got up 14-0, then we just kind of put it on cruise. We kind of just got lazy.
Your team could go unbeaten in the regular season for the third time. Ho-hum. How does Wesley Chapel get a playoff win?
I guess you've got to take one game at a time. You just kind of take it game-by-game and play hard all the time.
You're at Pasco this week. They'll be some trash-talking, huh?
That's all they do is talk. Oh, you're mama and all that. You just kind of smile and walk back to the huddle. You've got to have it go in one ear and out the other.
