Buckskin86
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4th 200 yd rushing game of the season!!
http://www.cantonrep.com/index.php?Category=17&ID=190134&r=21
http://www.cantonrep.com/index.php?Category=17&ID=190134&r=21
Brinson: Tiger sign was ‘funny’
Sunday, October 31, 2004 By CHRIS BEAVEN Repository sports writer
MASSILLON — The yards did not come easy for Ryan Brinson on Saturday against the Massillon Tigers.
Carry after carry by the McKinley High School senior led to hit after hit.
“I’m feeling it right now, my forearms especially,” Brinson said. “It was just aphysical game all around. And that’s fine.”
All was fine with Brinson after he helped lead the Bulldogs to a 20-7 win over Massillon at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium. Brinson rushed for 203 yards on a career-high 34 carries, scoring three touchdowns. He became the school’s single-season rushing leader, adding that to the numerous records he has set in the last month.
Brinson also showed he knows how to handle being the center of attention. The Tigers tried to use a comment he made a year ago after McKinley’s 40-8 win as motivation for them.
Instead, it only fueled Brinson even more, and he already was running on a full gas tank.
“It was funny to me,” Brinson said of Massillon’s use of his year-old comment.
Massillon fans had signs and T-shirts carrying an excerpt from Brinson that included: “... I knew we had their hearts. We were ready to play. They were scared. ...”
Brinson saw his comment prominently displayed behind the Massillon bench.
“They had a big poster in red and white, with bold letters with what I said, and my name at the bottom of it,” Brinson said. “I wanted to go and sign it for them after the game.”
Brinson didn’t. His signature, though, was all over the field Saturday, just like his name dominates McKinley’s record book.
Among his rushing marks are career (4,052 yards), single-season (1,685 yards this year) and single-game (335 vs. Jackson this year) records. His three TDs leave him with 282 career points, second all-time behind DeMarlo Rozier’s 294.
“Ryan made a comment last year, and I think that put pressure on him,” McKinley head coach Brian Cross said. “We talked all week about that, and he handled it.”
Brinson said the attention directed at him did not bother him.
“That makes me even more focused,” he said. “I knew I was a target. When I see that, hear people talking about it and see all the T-shirts with that quote, I knew I was an even bigger target. And that’s fine. But I’m no easy target.”
Brinson showed that by eluding or overpowering Massillon defenders on a number of runs.
His biggest was a 68-yard TD run to give McKinley a 13-0 second-quarter lead. But his best might have been a 23-yarder early in the third quarter. He ran through four tackles, before finally falling down as he dragged four defenders with him a few yards. That set up his third TD of the day.
Brinson has shown his breakaway ability all season. But Saturday, he showed his ability to take, and deliver, a pounding in exceeding his previous high of 29 carries in games the previous two seasons.
“All 11 of their kids wanted to take a piece of him every single play,” Cross said. “So it’s pretty special. He’s an all-around football player. He had the interception, he had some hits, and he had a couple of great punt returns. You don’t get a whole lot better than him.”
Brinson finishes his career with 503 yards and eight TDs in three starts vs. Massillon, winning the last two.
“I like this (win) more than any record I’ve got,” Brinson said. “It feels great. I always had everybody saying since I was freshman that I was going to Massillon, which I never said. You never heard that from.
“Now, they can see Ryan Brinson is a Canton McKinley Bulldog.”
You can reach Repository sports writer Chris Beaven at (330) 580-8345 or e-mail:
[email protected]
McKinley’s top rushing seasons
Rank Name, year Att. Yds. Avg.
1, Ryan Brinson, 2004 177 1,685 9.5
2, Adrian Brown, 1994 220 1,599 7.3
3, DeMarlo Rozier, 1997 191 1,514 7.9
4, Mike Doss, 1998 213 1,454 6.8
5, John Colceri, 1948 169 1,381 8.2
6, Adrian Brown, 1995 210 1,297 6.2
7, Larry Clayton, 1966 207 1,265 6.1
8, Ryan Brinson, 2002 153 1,234 8.1
9, Marion Motley, 1938 69 1,228 17.8
10, Troy Jenkins, 1983 229 1,173 5.1
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