Marble Falls’ running back quartet bring different styles
Marble Falls High School junior running back Dalton Mayberry refuses to be tackled, causing multiple San Antonio Jay defenders to try to bring him down.
JENNIFER FIERRO • STAFF WRITER
MARBLE FALLS — Offseason moves left the Marble Falls High School football team scrambling for a new starting running back weeks before the Mustangs opened fall training camp in August.
By the end of the first week, however, two players emerged to give head coach Matt Green change-of-pace backs. And two others also showed they’re capable of contributing.
They are juniors Dalton Mayberry, Sam Harkins and Austin Pegues and sophomore Seth Cozby.
Mayberry is considered the bruiser, Harkins is the speedster, and Pegues and Cozby are crosses between the two.
Green said the ages of the four is one of his favorite parts about the position.
“You’re talking about a youthful group,” he said. “Those kids are all in the initial trial of varsity running backs. That’s exciting because they have tons of room to grow and get better.”
Harkins leads with the most rushing yards with 44 carries for 199 yards and two touchdowns and eight receptions for 83 yards and one touchdown. But Mayberry has the most all-purpose yards with 29 carries for 162 yards and 12 receptions for 119 yards and two touchdowns.
Cozby has 12 rushes for 57 yards, and Pegues has 14 carries for 69 yards.
Pegues, who also plays defensive back, is known as a punishing runner who is unafraid of running over defenders to make them miss, the coach said. Cozby, who also is on special teams, has top end speed, Green said.
“He’s coming fast, and he makes you miss.” he said. “They understand their roles. Now they’re grasping how to do it on a consistent basis.”
That’s not to say the four haven’t gotten better during the course of the season. Green noted they are quicker to their spots during plays, have improved how they catch and protect the football, and have better vision on where to run to avoid tacklers.
“These kids are really improved from the start to now,” he said. “They’re coming back. They’ll be productive in the second year on top of it being a great year.”
jfierro@thepicayune.com