The Midlands’ best running backs

[Featheredcock]

The Midlands’ best running backs

Jeff Blake/jblake@thestate.com


Pelion running back Sean Davis leaps over teammate Erik Mobley in the first quarter of the Pelion High vs. Gilbert High game.


The high school football preseason is nearly one week old and fans are gearing up for another memorable season. Here are The State’s top five running backs in the Midlands:

Mustafa Greene
Irmo
The 6-foot-1, 205-pound junior plays tailback for the Yellow Jackets. He ran for 1,950 yards last season and scored 14 touchdowns. He is a tough, physical runner who has good vision to find holes along the line, yet create space when necessary.
He also catches the ball well, snagging five passes in 2007.

Anthony Carden
Lexington
Carden blossomed during coach Allen Sitterle’s first season with the Wildcats. After running for 808 yards in 2006, Carden flourished in 2007, gaining 1,193 yards while playing fullback.

Carden, a senior, also caught nine passes for 101 yards last season. The versatile Carden also returned kicks and averaged 20.4 yards per return.

Sean Davis
Pelion
Is there a faster player in the Midlands?
Davis is a small running back (5-9, 185 pounds), but ran for 2,130 yards and 27 touchdowns as a junior last season. Those numbers were good enough to lead the state in rushing during the regular season.

But Davis ran behind an offensive line that included two all-stars — Erik Mobley and Dalton Freeman. Both have graduated.

Marco Anderson
Gilbert
He might be the most underated running back in the state. Last season, Anderson ran for 1,520 yatds and 24 touchdowns. Anderson (5-9, 178) has a knack for making big plays.

He had a 90-yard touchdown run, scored on a 76-yard reception and returned a kickoff for a touchdown last season.

Kee Kee Greene
Richland Northeast
Running behind an inexperienced offensive line, Greene gained 1,103 yards on 117 carries last season. The 5-8, 180-pound tailback could be a lot busier this year as the Cavaliers return 16 starters. Greene, who scored 15 rushing touchdowns as a junior, will find more room to run behind senior tackle Tyman Robinson and guard Darryl Desira.

ALSO KEEP AN EYE ON
Bashire Anderson
C.A. Johnson
Senior plays halfback for the Hornets and should get a lot of carries this season.

Brad Meredith
Hammond
One of the key seniors in the backfield for the Skyhawks. Last season, Meredith ran for 1,194 yards on 241 carries and scored 12 touchdowns.

Bucky Kennedy
Ridge View
Ran for 1,400 yards as a junior last season.

Phillip Osborne
Lugoff-Elgin
A true fullback, Osborne ran for 800 yards as a junior last season.

Tavarris Counts
Dutch Fork
Counts started last season on fire. He had 443 rushing yards after three games, but finished the regular season with 668 yards and eight touchdowns

The State | 08/07/2008 | The Midlands’ best running backs