C-E's Slaton rushing to glory
By TED SILARY
silaryt@phillynews.com
This much is certain about the nonfootball portion of Steve Slaton's future:
Nothing is certain.
He has embraced, then rejected, the idea of working in physical therapy. Same with electrical engineering. His current thoughts run to sports management. But just to be safe, next fall he will enter the University of Maryland with an undeclared major.
So, is Steve Slaton wishy-washy? Not when it comes to his commitment to football. Not even close.
The 5-10, 190-pound, chiseled-from-stone Slaton is a senior at Conwell-Egan High. And since splashing onto the varsity scene as a freshman, he has worked and worked and worked.
His bench-press is 325 pounds. His time for 40 yards is 4.34.
"I'd love to get paid," he said, smiling.
He was talking about pro football, and the comment came after he mentioned how much he loves watching college football.
"It's so intense," he said. "They're working so hard, but not getting paid...They're trying to get paid."
Whether Slaton will become a ballcarrying whiz in the pros, or even as a Terp, is to be determined, of course, but there's no denying his scholastic impact.
With a 25-carry, 263-yard, three-touchdown effort Saturday night in a 27-20 win over Archbishop Carroll, he became only the fourth 5,000-yard career rusher in city history.
Slaton's total stands at 5,016 entering another Blue Division game tomorrow vs. Kennedy-Kenrick at Roosevelt Field in Norristown, leaving him behind 2003 West Catholic grad Curtis "Boonah" Brinkley (7,413), 1998 Frankford grad Eddie Gaskins (6,122) and 2001 Cardinal O'Hara grad Kevin Jones (5,728; now with Detroit Lions).
A total of 290 of those yards, a school record, came in his first varsity start and second appearance total. The victim was Cardinal Dougherty.
"It seems like a long time ago," he said. "I still remember it, though, even with so many games in between.
"It was a big shock. From having watched high school games every Friday night, I thought I might have to change my position, to maybe just d-back, for high school ball, especially to play varsity as a freshman. Most kids don't get to play too much until their junior year.
"It put a lot of expectations on me. And the team."
Most have been met. C-E is 5-1 this season and 21-16 from the day of Slaton's first start. The previous 21 wins had required 13 seasons.
"There's been a big excitement playing football here," Slaton said. "I feel I've helped the team as much as they've helped me in trying to get the school back on the map."
Slaton has been immersed in football for as long as he can remember.
He has vivid memories of a five-TD game in pound ball, and they produce a hearty chuckle.
How his buddy played on the opposite team and talked nonstop trash beforehand. How he'd already dashed for four scores when the opposing coach accused Slaton's teammates of delivering cheap shots. How he was re-inserted and scampered for one more, silencing his buddy for a very long time.
How he spent one season as a quarterback and tried to be Michael Vick.
How he attended game after game involving Rancocas Valley High in South Jersey and his brother, Charles Tiggett, a safety. (And how he loves it that Charles, famous for high-energy support along the sideline for every player, is now a volunteer assistant at C-E. Though he won't be able to attend tomorrow's game. "It's the first one he's going to miss," Slaton said. "It'll feel weird.")
How, when schedules don't conflict, he watches games involving Burlington Township High, also in South Jersey, and his cousin, Doug Billingsley, a starting d-back.
Slaton, revered throughout C-E for his work habits, good nature and humility, also receives robust support from his parents, Carl Slaton and Juanita Tiggett-Slaton. And he speaks about once a week with a star Egan running back of a generation ago, Keith Armstrong, who coaches special teams for the Miami Dolphins.
"It helps a lot," said Slaton, who is academically qualified for freshman eligibility. "He tells me lots of things I need to know."
Slaton also serves coach Kevin Kelly as a safety (his late interception sealed the Carroll win), return man and punter. But it's running from scrimmage that most stirs his juices. His blockers are center Ron Smith, guards Ryan Biernat and Rob Heller, tackles John Leahey and Justin Bainbridge and ends Dan Salera and David Kuebler. The regular fullback, Matt Porreca, has been out with an injury. Ray O'Hara has filled in well.
When asked about playing tailback, Slaton said: "It's one of the best things in the world...Everybody's trying to tackle you.
"And everybody wants to play that position; either that or quarterback. It's not a position everybody can play."
Of his style, he said, "I just try, mostly, to outrun people. Or to juke them. I don't mind running them over, or just into them, but I mostly try to utilize my speed."
There's plenty of that, along with the other important attributes.
Up to now, his nonfootball sporting venture at C-E has been track. But now there's some wavering.
"My father was a baseball player," Slaton said. "I think I'm going to play that this spring."
His face lit up. "And try to steal lots of bases."
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07-18-2004, 11:01 AM
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