Broad Run’s Bevy of Backs Does Job

By Alan Goldenbach

Saturday, September 8, 2007

For all the talk about a possible quarterback controversy at Broad Run, it seems more plausible for the Spartans to be at their wits’ end trying to settle on a featured running back.

But after Broad Run’s 40-0 victory Friday night over Ballou, the defending D.C. Interscholastic Athletic Association champion, it appears the Spartans are quite content — and successful — with sharing the carries among a bevy of backs, each of whom could warrant 20 carries on other teams.

Junior Breon Earl rushed for 96 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Senior Sammy Saidi had 39 yards and a second-quarter score. Senior Billy Rocca opened the scoring with a two-yard run on fourth down.

None of them had more than Rocca’s 11 carries, yet they helped the Spartans amass 241 yards on the ground. Broad Run rushed for 247 yards in last week’s 48-14 victory over Wakefield.

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Ballou at Broad Run

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The start of the second half of Friday night's game between Broad Run and Ballou at Broad Run. Ballou fell to Broad Run, 40-0. (Ricky Carioti)

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The Broad Run student section of the bleachers was colorful and loud as the team played Ballou. (Ricky Carioti)

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Broad Run marching band color guard captain Katie Knoster, senior, performs at halftime. (Ricky Carioti)

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Broad Run Spartan mascot Chris Tambaschi, senior, watches the game against Ballou from the sidelines. (Ricky Carioti)

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Broad Run's Breon Earl (23) carries the ball past Ballou's Sean Branch, center, in the third quarter for a touchdown. (Ricky Carioti)

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Broad Run quarterback Cole Shain looks to pass in the second quarter. (Cydney Cappello)

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Broad Run's Kenny McAdow dives while carrying the ball past Ballou's William Walker, left, and Samuel Howard, right, in the second quarter of Broad Run's 40-0 win. (Ricky Carioti)

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The Broad Run cheerleaders cheer after a touchdown that was called back in the first quarter against Ballou on Friday night. (Ricky Carioti)

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Broad Run marching band drum major Cori Nguyen leads the band in the National Anthem before the game against Ballou on Friday night. (Ricky Carioti)

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Broad Run assistant coach Jason Dawson yells at his players during warm-ups before their game against Ballou on Friday night. (Ricky Carioti)

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Broad Run head coach Michael Burnett, center, gets his team pumped up before their game against Ballou on Friday night. (Ricky Carioti)

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Members of the Broad Run football team participate in exercises before their game against Ballou on Friday night. (Ricky Carioti)

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From left to Right- Adam Luhmann, senior, Patrick Murphy, junior, Scott Hiatt, senior, Chris Tambaschi, senior, and Andrew Hathaway, junior, all members of the Maroon Crew at Broad Run, tailgate before the game against Ballou on Friday night. (Ricky Carioti)

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Broad Run's Breon Earl (23) carries the ball past Ballou's Johnathan Robinson (36) in the third quarter for a touchdown to help beat Ballou 40-0 on Friday night at Broad Run. (Ricky Carioti)

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Even though each player has a distinct running style — Rocca, between the tackles; Saidi, off tackle; and Earl, in the open field — there is an inherent competition among them, and several others, in practice. Six other Spartans took handoffs against Ballou; against Wakefield last week, 14 players had at least one carry.

“There are times when I don’t want to run in practice,” Saidi said. “Then I look around, and say, ‘Whoa, these guys can beat me,’ so it makes me work harder.”

It has made work a little harder for Broad Run Coach Mike Burnett, too.

“The hardest part,” Burnett said, “is having the guys in my ear on the sideline. They all want to play. But the fact that they each have a distinct running style makes us tough to prepare for.”

That was evident immediately Friday, as Ballou, which prides itself on speed and an ability to overpower opponents at the line of scrimmage, looked confused and overwhelmed by Broad Run’s skilled blocking (all five starting offensive linemen are back from last season) and occasional misdirection. That included junior Kenny McAdow taking a handoff up the middle for a 13-yard gain on fourth and two in the second quarter.

The play set up Broad Run’s third touchdown, which put the Spartans ahead, 20-0, at halftime.

“You could tell even after the first touchdown that we caught them by surprise,” senior quarterback Cole Shain said. “There was definitely concern on their faces. We were just in better condition, and I think it’s because we have these guys pushing each other.

“With our running backs, they just take such a load off my shoulders. They could each get the ball in any situation, but we’re lucky that we don’t have to ask them to do that.”

Extra Points

By Paul Tenorio and Matt Brooks