NORMAN — Everyone knows Donovan Roberts is the stud in the Norman High backfield.
Roberts rushed for more than 200 yards in the Tigers’ Crosstown Clash victory over Norman North last Friday night at Harve Collins Field. And he did it with jukes, spins, speed and just plain running over people.
But NHS coach Greg Nation said Roberts isn’t the only weapon he has behind quarterback Zach Long.
“We have a stable of running backs, four or five of them, and they can all carry the ball,” Nation said.
Senior Stephan McElroy is a major threat, though he didn’t even carry the ball against North. McElroy has turned into one of the top defensive playmakers for NHS, and his speed makes him dangerous on both sides.
“Stephan McElroy would be starting at running back for almost any other school,” Nation said. He’s that quick and that athletic. And (sophomore) A’erion Hines is another guy who can really carry the ball and make some plays for us.”
Practice in the rain
One good thing about North having new field turf is the T-Wolves were able to get out on the field to practice for an hour and a half Wednesday and run through most of their usual day-before-a-game routine.
“We had to abbreviate it a little bit, because the rain was coming down so hard,” North coach Lance Manning said.
NHS got on the field for a regular day of practice, too, taking advantage of The Harve’s field-turf.
“That’s why we have it,” Nation said.
Demby back, Cline out
North got some good news Monday when it was determined that a knee injury suffered by running back Raymond Demby in Friday’s Clash wasn’t as serious as first thought.
Demby was the highlight for North in the Clash, rushing for 51 yards on 12 carries, though he and quarterback Brad Valentino fumbled two handoffs.
Demby tore his knee last season, and it looked as if he had re-injured it Friday night.
“He’s going to be fine,” Manning said. “It was just a tweak on his knee. He was really scared, and it was painful, but there’s no structural damage and he’s practiced with minimal pain.”
Demby was on the field Tuesday and Wednesday and will play against Del City tonight.
Starting left guard Caleb Cline won’t, though. The North senior was involved in an altercation with an NHS player toward the end of the Clash and was ejected from the game. Under Oklahoma Secondary Schools Athletics Association rules, he must miss one game due to the ejection.
Cline will return next week against Westmoore, though.
Jeff Johncox 366-3535 jjohncox@normantranscript.com
