Kudos to Dudek, Lady Mikes, Smithley
Let’s face it, there is a lot going on in the sports world and most of the big stories have gotten their usual share of attention in the newspapers, on the internet and on television. So, as I usually try to do, I have a few brief bits of information and insight that you will hopefully find entertaining …
n Do you remember Zane Dudek? In case you don’t, let me refresh your memory. Dudek was a one-man wrecking crew at running back for the Armstrong Riverhawks last year and not only led his team into the WPIAL playoffs, but set the league record for rushing yards in a season with 2,955. His 254 points scored last year were also a District 7 record.
Despite all his accomplishments, as well as a 4.0 GPA, the fact that he got practically no Division I FBS scholarship offers was a mystery to practically anyone affiliated with high school football in the state of Pennsylvania. So, with the big names not lining up, he decided to go a more unique and difficult route that instead led him to the most elite level of academia.
Dudek chose to attend Yale and play football for the Bulldogs. Last week, he showed all those coaches that passed him up for one reason or another just what sort of talent they could have had on their rosters.
The true freshman looked nothing like a rookie as he ran around, over and through the Lehigh defense to the tune of 131 yards and two touchdowns on just nine carries in a 56-28 win. That’s 14.6 yards per carry in his first collegiate contest. Eat your collective heart out coaches.
n Friday night’s Tri-County South gridiron showdown between West Greene and Carmichaels grabbed the attention of Greene County and didn’t disappoint. The two teams slugged it out over 48 minutes and after the Pioneers jumped out to a double-digit lead, the Mighty Mikes showed the mettle that won them last year’s TCS title and pulled out the comeback victory.
However, I’m going to move away from the field to the court, where the Carmichaels volleyball team is quietly making a serious case for a section title of its own. Carmichaels suffered its first loss of the season at Geibel Catholic in a thrilling five-set match, but that still left the Lady Mikes in a first place tie with a 4-1 record.
The Blue and Gold has already logged a statement victory that put the rest of the 2-1A world on notice.
In its first game of the year, Carmichaels, battled WPIAL small-school powerhouse Frazier over five grueling sets. By the time the 15th point of set five was scored, the Mikes stood victorious with a 3-2 win over the Commodores.
The confidence from that win has clearly stayed with the team, as it has followed the thrilling victory with three-straight 3-0 decisions before the highly competitive loss at Geibel. Despite that defeat, one of the greatest seasons in program history just may be forming in front of our eyes.
n Over his first three games of the season, interim head coach Chris Smithley has shown that he just may be the man to lead the football program at Waynesburg University.
After getting off to a rocky start with a 19-0 loss at Muskingum, the Yellow Jackets stuck right with PAC title contender Westminster into the fourth quarter of their Week Two meeting. The same could be said of this past Saturday’s 30-20 setback against Carnegie Mellon.
Though Waynesburg has yet to taste victory with Smithley at the helm, the improvements have been noticeable and he has shown a willingness to try something new to strengthen his team’s chances at victory. For example, the Jackets needed to fill out their wide receiver corps after several big losses by way of graduation. In order to supplement the team’s recruiting additions, he and his offensive staff converted two former quarterbacks and a defensive back to receivers.
He has also taken former starting running back Chad Walker and moved him to slot receiver, where he has grabbed 13 catches in his first two games on the job.
Saturday provides another daunting task for Waynesburg in the form of Case Western Reserve, who, like Westminster, is considered a contender for a conference crown. It won’t be easy, but if the Jackets can not only stay competitive, but find the winning equation sooner rather than later, Waynesburg may just have to remove the interim tag from Smithley’s title.