The first week of the high school football season is just six weeks from Friday night. To help get you prepared, we take a look this week at 25 running backs to watch from Central Indiana:
Ashton Carter, Avon, Sr.
The 5-9, 180-pound Carter had two 100-yard games as a junior and finished the season with 769 rushing yards and four rushing TDs on the season. He also threw for a TD pass and caught 12 passes for 143 yards and a score. Carter just picked up his first offer last month from Wabash.
Fa’Rel Carter, Decatur Central, Sr.
The 5-11, 170-pound Carter is not really contained to one position. The Eastern Michigan commit does it all and does it well. But he did have a huge game in the Class 5A state championship win over Warsaw, rushing 16 times for 170 yards and three TDs. It was his third 100-yard rushing game, finishing with 750 rushing yards and nine TDs. He also caught 36 passes for 465 yards and one TD. Carter also averaged 34.1 yards on eight kickoff returns and 10.4 yards and seven punt returns. And, oh yeah, had 30 tackles and three interceptions.
Jazz Coleman, Ben Davis, Sr.
The 5-11, 205-pound Coleman ran for 1,010 yards and 14 touchdowns as a junior for Speedway and put up 1,350 all-purpose yards despite playing in just seven games due to injury, along with 60 tackles on defense. Coleman, who transferred for the second semester of his junior year, will make the transition to Class 6A football as a senior. He has offers from Toledo, Sacramento State, Tennessee State, Austin Peay and Western Illinois.
Xavier Dangerfield, Cathedral, Jr.
Put a little respect on Dangerfield’s name. The 5-10, 180-pound junior picked up offers in January from Miami (Ohio) and Toledo after a season that saw him run for 1,087 yards and 16 touchdowns. During a four-game stretch from Week 3 to Week 6, Dangerfield ran for 726 yards and 12 TDs on 104 carries. That includes games against Cincinnati St. Xavier, Bishop Chatard and Center Grove.
Lucas Dewey, Martinsville, Sr.
The 5-11, 205-pound Dewey had his best offensive games late in the season for 12-2 Martinsville, a Class 4A regional champion. He had 239 rushing yards and one touchdown on 34 carries in a 35-28 regional win over Evansville Reitz. Dewey finished with 795 rushing yards and seven TDs and caught a TD pass (also in the regional). He is also one of the Artesians’ top defenders, making 58 tackles, two sacks and two fumble recoveries at linebacker.
Zach Dozier, Roncalli, Sr.
The 5-10, 190-pound Dozier rushed for 1,123 yards and seven touchdowns as a junior for the 6-5 Royals, who played in a Class 4A sectional championship. He also passed for a touchdown in the sectional title game against Bishop Chatard and caught 18 passes for 155 yards and two TDs for the season. Dozier is also a dangerous kick returner, averaging 27.1 yards on 17 returns. For his career, he has 1,506 rushing yards and 13 TDs and 27 receptions for 230 yards and three scores.
Albert Gooden III, Lawrence Central, Sr.
The 6-2, 210-pound Gooden appears to the Bears’ primary running back going into his senior season after running for 445 yards and two TDs last year on 74 carries and catching nine passes for 109 yards and one TD. Gooden also played linebacker, making 28 tackles, including six for a loss. For his career, Gooden has 1,136 rushing yards and nine TDs.
Deacon King, Westfield, Sr.
The 6-1, 215-pound King is a playmaker on both sides of the ball for the Shamrocks as a running back and safety. During Westfield’s run to the Class 6A state finals, King ran for 1,440 yards and 18 TDs and caught eight passes for 116 yards and two scores. He also had 39 tackles, two interceptions, one fumble recovery and one caused fumble. King, a top-50 all-state pick by the Indiana Football Coaches Association, has several Division I offers, including Purdue and West Virginia.
Mark Kube, Eastern Hancock, Sr.
The 6-foot, 195-pound Kube was limited to seven games last season due to an early-season injury but still finished with 787 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns and caught seven passes for 34 yards. Overall for his career, Kube has 2,666 rushing yards and 39 TDs. Most of that came during a monster sophomore season (1,746 yards, 28 TDs). Kube figures to be a big part of the equation for new Eastern Hancock coach Josh Holden.
Brady Lewis, Brownsburg, Jr.
The 5-9, 185-pound Lewis made a splash as a sophomore with a 150-yard rushing game and two touchdowns on 24 carries in a 30-14 win over Cathedral. For the season, Lewis ran for 714 rushing yards and six TDs and caught nine passes for 22 yards. Lewis is a tough runner who played a big role in helping the Bulldogs to the Class 6A state title.
Sam Manna, Zionsville, Sr.
The 5-8, 190-pound Manna committed to Butler earlier this week. He ran for 764 yards and nine TDs, including three 100-yard games early in the season for the 4-7 Eagles. Manna also caught 16 passes for 81 yards and two TDs as a junior and returned five kicks for a 19.4-yard average. He has 1,156 rushing yards and 10 TDs for his career, along with 20 receptions for 102 yards and three TDs.
Jack Miller, Lapel, Jr.
The 5-10, 170-pound Miller posted four 100-yard rushing games on the way to running for 1,246 yards and 14 rushing TDs in a 9-4 season. He also caught 13 passes for 175 yards and a TD. Miller ran for 697 yards and five TDs as a freshman. Miller also contributed 28 tackles on defense as a sophomore.
Dayton Mink, Cascade, Sr.
The 6-foot, 215-pound Mink rushed for 1,203 yards and 16 touchdowns for a Cascade team that went 10-1 and nearly knocked off Tri-West in the sectional semifinal. For his career, Mink has 2,009 rushing yards and 27 rushing TDs. Mink also has nine receptions for 167 yards and three TDs and 29 tackles on defense.
Izayveon Moore, Lawrence North, Jr.
The 5-8, 180-pound Moore packs a punch and can make defenders miss better than any running back in Central Indiana. For the 11-1 Wildcats last season, Moore ran for 1,369 yards and 22 touchdowns and caught six passes for 81 yards and two more scores. Moore, who has offers from Miami (Ohio) and Toledo, also had a 1,000-yard season as a freshman. For his career, he has 2,496 rushing yards and 31 rushing TDs.
Andrew Pemberton, Carmel, Sr.
It will be interesting to see how Carmel’s offense looks under new coach Kevin Wright. The 5-9, 160-pound Pemberton ran for 588 yards and four TDs as a junior, averaging 6.2 yards per carry. He also caught 15 passes for 121 yards.
Josh Ranes, New Palestine, Sr.
The 6-1, 230-pound Ranes is a physical, punishing runner who capped his junior year with 166 rushing yards and four TDs in a 56-26 win over East Noble for the Class 4A state championship. Ranes finished the season with 2,238 rushing yards and 30 touchdowns (10.2 yards per carry) and three catches for 38 yards. He is also a key contributor as a linebacker with 51 tackles last season with one interception and one sack. Ranes has 153 career tackles, including 21 ½ for loss, with four sacks. He has offers from Kent State, Indiana Wesleyan and Saint Francis.
Carter Reed, Hamilton Southeastern, Jr.
The 5-10, 185-pound Reed will be a name to watch as a junior after rushing for 724 yards and 12 TDs as a sophomore, along with five catches for 32 yards. Coach Michael Kelly expects Reed to be one of his offensive standouts. Reed also plays baseball for the Royals.
Nolan Rees, Center Grove, Sr.
The 5-11, 185-pound Rees shared the running back spot last year for the Trojans with now-graduated Austin Hennessy (696 yards, six TDs). Rees ran for 599 yards and seven touchdowns, including a pair of TDs in the semistate game.
Gunner Ruppert, Greenwood, Sr.
The 6-2, 200-pound Ruppert had a breakthrough season for the Woodmen, including a 238-yard, four-touchdown game on 35 carries in a 35-31 loss Martinsville in the Class 4A sectional championship. For the season, Ruppert ran for 1,660 yards and 19 TDs in nine games. He also had 26 tackles and two interceptions on defense. The speedy Ruppert has offers from Marian, Saint Francis, Defiance and Wabash.
Toby Savini, Cascade, Sr.
The 5-11, 170-pound Savini missed the early part of the season and did not carry a heavy load, but he did finish with 670 yards and nine rushing TDs and averaged 12.6 yards per carry for the 10-1 Cadets. He also caught eight passes for 129 yards and four TDs and averaged 28.3 yards per kickoff return. Savini has 2,228 rushing yards and 24 rushing TDs in three seasons, along with 23 catches for 411 yards and nine receiving TDs.
Luke Starnes, Plainfield, Sr.
The 5-8, 190-pound Starnes ran for at least 100 yards in each of his first nine games of his junior year, finishing the season with 1,572 rushing yards and 19 rushing TDs. He also caught eight passes for 50 yards. Starnes emerged as a sophomore, running for 952 yards and 12 TDs with 13 receptions for 136 yards.
Shakovon Sumpterbey, Brownsburg, Sr.
The 6-foot, 185-pound Sumpterbey split the running back duties with the aforementioned Lewis, playing some of his best football late in the season for the Class 6A state champions. His 72-yard touchdown run was a key play in a 31-27 semistate win over Center Grove. Sumpterbey also ran for 80 yards on 16 carries in the 22-17 state title win over Westfield to finish with 801 rushing yards and seven TDs on the season. He is also a receiving threat, catching 24 passes for 282 yards and three TDs. Offers from Defiance, Saint Francis and Saint Mary-of-the-Woods.
Darrell Taylor, Crispus Attucks, Sr.
The 5-8, 200-pound Taylor goes into his senior season as a two-time all-state selection. He ran for 1,415 yards and 19 touchdowns as a junior, while also passing for a touchdown and scoring a defensive TD. He ran for 2,111 yards and 23 TDs as a sophomore. Taylor averaged more than 10 yards per carry last season.
Ryan Thembulembu, Fishers, Sr.
The 5-9, 185-pound Thembulembu emerged as a playmaker out of the backfield for the Tigers as he ran for 731 yards and nine TDs and caught 18 passes for 223 yards and six TDs in nine games to earn Junior All-State honors from the IFCA. He has 1,010 career rushing yards and 10 rushing TDs. Thembulembu has offers from Saint Francis, St. Mary-of-the-Woods and Wabash.
Keyon Thomas, Warren Central, Jr.
If you are looking for a name to emerge this season, the 5-11, 215-pound Thomas might be your guy. In five games last season, Thomas ran for 225 yards and one TD. While those numbers might not pop off the page, his potential does. He has offers from Arizona State, Indiana, Kentucky, Purdue, Vanderbilt, Bowling Green, Kent State, Marshall, Miami (Ohio), Toledo and Western Michigan.
Six others to watch
∎ Tyler Holmes, Noblesville, Jr.: Playmaker on both sides of ball (and special teams). Ran for 436 yards and 10 TDs as a sophomore.
∎ Bobby Thomas, Pike, Jr.: Thomas ran for 301 yards and four TDs and caught 10 passes for 85 yards and a score as a sophomore.
∎ Thomas Campbell, Shortridge, Sr.: Campbell is a big back who ran for 1,087 yards and 10 TDs last season.
∎ Joshua Parks, Lebanon, Sr.: Ran for 862 yards and seven touchdowns as a junior.
∎ Eli Pimental, Heritage Christian, Sr.: Was limited to just three games last year due to injury but has 1,916 career rushing yards and 18 rushing TDs.
∎ Alex Cravens, Sheridan, Sr.: Ran for 1,077 yards and eight TDs as a junior.
Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649. Get IndyStar’s high school coverage sent directly to your inbox with the High School Sports newsletter.
