Akron Beacon Journal
8/24
Posted on Wed, Aug. 24, 2005
PURKISS STILL LOOMS LARGE
Ravenna two-way standout's weight loss is Ravens' gain
By Gary Estwick
Beacon Journal sports writer
No more Starbursts for Ravenna's Xylon Purkiss.
Skittles? No thanks. Sugar cookies. Nope. Late-night snack? Not a chance.
He's on a diet.
High school football opponents might not recognize the slimmer and trimmer Purkiss this season -- until it's too late.
In preparation for a sensational senior year, he changed his eating habits, and last winter, he wrestled for the first time. That combination allowed him to transform from a 272-pound nose tackle to a 250-pound fullback/middle linebacker.
``It's so much easier to move, so much easier to run,'' he said. ``I can do a whole lot more things.''
Propelling Ravenna into the playoffs is at the top of his list.
He is the lone returning captain from last season's 4-6 squad.
Guys look up to him. When he made big plays last season, his teammates rallied around him, and it sparked an energy that turned into wins.
He's lost the weight -- and gained a new wardrobe. But Purkiss insists that his strength is still there. This summer, he's benched 340 pounds and squatted 675 pounds.
At the University of Akron's football camp, he said he was timed at 4.83 in the 40-yard dash.
Those stats should garner lots of attention in the newly formed Portage Trail Conference.
``If he's coming downhill, and you cut back into him, he's going to make a big hit on you,'' coach Jim Lunardi said of Purkiss' skills on defense.``If you want to run an isolation on him, you better have a pretty good fullback.''
It's a good thing the 5-foot-10 Purkiss leads by example, because he never does vocally. It's not in him.
``Most of the time,'' he said, ``I don't like a lot of attention on me.''
It's not in his nature.
``We've tried year in and year out,'' Lunardi said of his attempts to turn Purkiss into a vocal leader. ``But he's the kind of kid that will make a big hit or a big run, and he gets everybody excited by doing that kind of stuff.''
He's just a quiet guy who doesn't like the spotlight on him.
That might he hard during Friday nights this fall. Unlike years past, where he served as a blocking back, Purkiss will be a main part of Lunardi's offense.
The decision to lose weight goes back to last season.
There were several games when, in the fourth quarter, he didn't have the stamina to do anything else but block. He was winded. Tired.
``This year, since I lost the weight, I think I can carry the ball a little bit more and be more effective,'' Purkiss said.
During a Week 4 game against Nordonia, he struggled to keep up.
``Nordonia's offense seemed to be in a bit more better shape than our defense was, especially me,'' he said.
Nordonia won 16-12.
``I think I could have made a few plays that would have stopped them from scoring.``
It took him some time to change his eating habits, but after doing it since the winter, he's fully adjusted.
He's eager to see how his newfound waistline translates on the football field. So are recruiters. If he has a stellar season, this could propel him into a Division I scholarship.
Maybe he could take the Ravens deep into the playoffs? After all, he reached the wrestling state tournament in his first year of competition. That's no shabby task in Ohio.
