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http://www.ohio.com/mld/beaconjourna...ol/9866765.htm

Posted on Fri, Oct. 08, 2004
High school football
Nordonia back shows no signs of sophomore slump
Mabin piles up yards; Knights pile up victories
By Tom Gaffney
Beacon Journal staff writer

Nordonia tailback Jordan Mabin was a 1,000-yard rusher as a freshman in 2003, so conventional wisdom suggests that he repeat the feat this season.

However, few people could have reasonably expected him to reach that figure the way he did -- in just six games.

Knights coach Keith Boedicker, though, was firmly and happily in the minority.

``Nothing he does surprises me. He is a special talent,'' said Boedicker, whose unbeaten team has a Western Reserve Conference-North showdown tonight at Twinsburg. ``He has it all as a runner and he is very mature... the most mature sophomore I have had in 22 years of coaching.''

Mabin himself wasn't thinking of rushing for 1,000 yards in 2004. No, he preferred doubling his pleasure.

``Individually, my goal was to get 2,000 yards,'' said Mabin, who has 1,133 yards on 144 carries and has scored 15 touchdowns as the Knights have started 6-0. ``I thought I had a good chance to do it.''

The 5-foot-10, 180-pound Mabin jumped from middle-school football to the varsity in the span of just one year in 2003. Despite being used sparingly early in the season and being a second offensive option to power back Tom Stockle, he ran for 1,067 yards to help the Knights finish 10-2 and reach the Division II regional semifinals.

``I really wanted to play varsity as a freshman,'' Mabin said. ``In two-a-days, I just tried to work as hard as I could to get on the depth chart.

``We had a great team and a great group of seniors who helped me out. The transition was easy because of that.''

Actually, Mabin felt part of the team in eighth grade in 2002 when Nordonia was making an unforeseen run to the state finals, where the Knights were beaten by Dayton Chaminade-Julienne, 41-26.

Boedicker allowed him on the sidelines and in the locker room for many of the games, including the state-title contest at Massillon, and he learned how things are done in the program.

``I saw what Nordonia football was all about... how intense the players were and how serious they were about winning,'' he said. ``I wanted to be part of that.''

Mabin's contributions as an underclassman should also come as no surprise because of his background. His father, Howard Mabin, was a cornerback at the University of Louisville after being highly recruited out of high school in western Pennsylvania.

Howard Mabin played at Louisville with Frank Minnifield, who was a cornerback for the Browns from 1984-92. Minnifield also had another more personal role with the Mabin family as Jordan's godfather.

``I have been around football all my life,'' said Mabin, who has run the 40 in 4.43 seconds and can bench press 315 pounds. ``This is what I love to do.''

Part of that love comes from taking a handoff and finding a way to weave through the defense.

``He has the best vision I have ever seen in a running back, the way he can anticipate tacklers and find openings,'' Boedicker said. ``He has an ability to accelerate and make cuts.''

Mabin is part of a young Nordonia club that is undefeated despite having only two starters back on offense and two on defense.

Senior quarterback Jeff Pankratz has thrown for 816 yards and eight touchdowns, primarily to Mark Douglas and Tim Cohn.

Chris Groth and brothers Joe and Kevin Kowalski have anchored the offensive line. On defense, Vernell Jones, Dave Roudybush, Mike Cooper, Dorian Holmes and Nick Rahal have been the top playmakers.

``We are a young team, but we make up for it with our team unity,'' Mabin said. ``Our goal is a state championship.''