1,000-yard backfield duos aren’t as rare as you think

Written by: Josh Funk on Sunday, February 15th, 2009. Follow Josh Funk on Twitter.

When a running back hits 1,000 yards in a season, it’s kind of a big deal.  At least it used to be.  Now, the standard for an individual successful season on the ground appears to be 2,000 yards rushing in a season.

 

But what if two running backs on the same football team hit 1,000 rushing yards in a season?  That should count for something, right?  That feat is a rare occurrence, correct?

 

Truthfully, it’s not as rare as you might think.

 

Accomplishments like this are impressive, yes. But given the fact that most Pennsylvania football teams follow a running orientation on offense, seeing two backfield mates each eclipse 1,000 rushing yards in the same season is not all that rare.

 

Part of the reason for the spike in this statistic comes from the increase in length of the

high school football season. Back in 1988, when the PIAA playoffs were in their

inaugural season, teams that qualified for the state finals played a maximum of 14 games. Nowadays, the eight teams that qualify for Hershey play a total of 16 games.

 

Back in the 1910s and 1920s, teams played maybe eight, nine, or ten game schedules. A feat like two 1,000-yard rushers in those days was practically unheard of.  But today, assuming a 16-game schedule, two backs each only needs to average 62.5

yards per game to hit the mark.

 

The feat has happened 43 total times from 2002 to 2008. Nine teams, including three of the eight PIAA state finalists, had at least two backs surpass the 1,000 yard mark in 2007.

 

In the last seven years, 12 of the teams which possessed two 1,000-yard rushers played for a PIAA championship. Seven of these 12 teams won PIAA titles.

 

At least one PIAA champion has had a pair of 1,000-yard rushers since 2003.  Bethlehem Liberty kept the streak intact with its overtime victory against Bethel Park.

 

There are three trios of 1,000-yard rushers on this list:  2005 Montoursville, 2007 Serra Catholic, and 2008 West Catholic.  Despite the notion that to win a PIAA title, you must run the ball effectively, none of these teams won PIAA titles.

 

Below is a list of the 1,000-yard backfield duos (and trios) in the same season, since 2002:

 

2002: James Roderick & Ryan Stewart, Archbishop Carroll

2003: Jarryd Moyer & Jeremiha Hunter, Manheim Central*

2003: Danny Jones & John Shaw, Saint Joseph’s Prep

2003: TJ Turpack & Joe Tuzze, Lakeland

2004: Nick McConnell & Tobias Robinson, Cedar Crest

2004: Henry Hynoski & Dan Latorre, Southern Columbia*

2004: Colin Striefsky & Joe Tuzze, Lakeland

2005: Dan Persa & Charles Irvin, Bethlehem Liberty

2005: Dan Geigerich & Nate Nix, Thomas Jefferson

2005: Henry Hynoski & Kyle Connaghan, Southern Columbia*

2005: Luke Ellison, Luke Trick, & Garrett Cillo, Montoursville

2006: Dan Persa & Ahkeem Smith, Bethlehem Liberty

2006: Drew Astorino & Ryan Skelton, General McLane*

2006: Max Kutz & Joe Galbraith, Brookville

2006: Dom DeCicco & Brian Baldrige, Thomas Jefferson

2006: Tom McFarland & Matt Feeney, Pottsville Area

2006: Randy Nichols & Craig Chopko, Lakeland

2007: Arthur James & Orlando Torres, Thomas Jefferson*

2007: Jeff Knox & Andrew Taglienetti, Pittsburgh Central Catholic*

2007: Rob Hollomon & Raymond Maples, West Catholic

2007: Adam Harris & Jake Lamphere, Towanda

2007: Kyle Fisher & Kyle Keller, Cocalico

2007: Bill D’andera & Joe Jelinek, Mercyhurst Prep

2007: TJ Heatherington, Chris Loving, & Isaiah Jackson, Serra Catholic

2007: Josh Cillo & Zach Kreamer, Montoursville Area

2007: Matt Falcone & Jeffrey Noyes, Palmerton

2008: Alex Schumde & AJ Fenton, Erie McDowell

2008: Mike Sinosky & Tommy Burgan, Portage Area

2008: Kyle Fisher & Austin Hartman, Cocalico

2008: Cody Haupt & Josh Cillo, Montoursville Area

2008: Brendan Brader & Anthony Gonzalez, Bethlehem Liberty*

2008: Rob Hollomon, Raymond Maples, & Curtis Drake, West Catholic

2008: Keenan Ellison & James Chest, Saegertown

2008: Terry Clark & Matt Nolan, Northern Lebanon

2008: Terry Patrick & Maurice Carter, Aliquippa

2008: Jarrin Campman & Isaiah Morgan, Clearfield Area

2008: Tim Keyser & Jared Bonaquisti, Garnet Valley

2008: Terrell Chesnut & Maika Polamalu, Pottsgrove

2008: Brian Nickel & Roman San Doval, Shady Side Academy

2008: Steve Roth & Sam Springer, Southern Columbia

2008: Bryan Dean & Quilian Arnold, Neshaminy

2008: Matt Falcone & Jeffrey Noyes, Palmerton

2008: Eric Gilbert & Laquan Frazier, Academy Park

 

* = PIAA champions (7)

Follow EasternPAFootball.com on Twitter @EPAFootball

---

Leave a Reply

Name (required)

Mail (will not be published) (required)

Website

Δ

5 Responses to “1,000-yard backfield duos aren’t as rare as you think”

1. Free Full games Download says:
   July 4th, 2010 at 2:21 am

   Extremely interesting post thank you for sharing I just added your site to my bookmarks and will be back now and then. By the way this is off topic but I really like your blogs layout.

2. Mark C. says:
   March 7th, 2009 at 9:47 pm

   Lakeland also did it in 2006 with Randy Nichols and Craig Chopko

3. Mark C. says:
   March 7th, 2009 at 9:41 pm

   Lakeland did it back-to-back: 2003 — T.J. Turpack and Joe Tuzze and 2004 — Colin Striefsky and Joe Tuzze

4. Brian says:
   February 16th, 2009 at 5:34 pm

   I am pretty sure the two running backs from Neshaminy each had 1,000 yard seasons this year. Quillan Arnold and Bryan Dean.

5. ECS12 says:
   February 16th, 2009 at 3:50 pm

   An addition to your list – 2008: Steve Roth & Sam Springer, Southern Columbia. The first 1000yd pair at SCA since Joe Murphy & Ricco Rosini in the mid 90s.