Blazers’ RB eclipses 3,000 yards in rout of Holy Name

by Martin Cooper, Pottstown Mercury Sports Writer

Posted on September 10, 2005

UNION -- Nate Romig sometimes thinks about how his football career might have gone had Chris Bokosky not decided to return to football after a couple of years away from the sport.

If Bokosky had not returned to the gridiron as a sophomore two years ago, Romig would have been the starting quarterback at Daniel Boone in 10th grade.

"It would have been much, much different," said Romig, the Blazers ground-swallowing tailback. "Quarterback? Me? I don’t know how it would have panned out. I was skinny in 10th grade. I went about a buck fifty (150 pounds). I hardly had any muscle. But I was the starting quarterback going into my 10th-grade year.

"How would it pan out? We probably would have been an option team with my running style. I’ll admit it. I wasn’t the greatest passer."

Things have worked out just fine for Romig and the Blazers.

Bokosky returned to play quarterback, allowing Romig to move to tailback.

A week after Bokosky became the most prolific passer in Inter-County League history, Romig became just the 12th player in Berks County history to rush for 3,000 yards during Boone’s 49-13 non-league romp over Holy Name Friday night.

The Blazers (2-0) snapped an eight-game losing streak to Holy Name, beating the Blues for the first time since 1996 (28-27).

Romig ran 23 times for 214 yards, boosting his career total to 3,048 yards. He’s closing fast on Boone’s all-time rushing record of 3,156 yards set by Todd Johnson.

Romig scored four touchdowns against the Blue Jays (1-1), giving him 280 career points and breaking the school record of 257 set by Todd Schaeffer. Romig also owns the school record for career touchdowns with 46.

"It’s not important," Romig said of the records. "I admit it. It is in a way. Everybody has personal goals on this team. But one goal everybody has is to shoot for a win. Records are records. But wins are wins. You’ve got to win to get far in the playoffs. The records do come on a personal level. But winning is the No. 1 priority on this team."

If the Blazers hadn’t won so easily, Bokosky surely would have achieved another personal milestone. The senior quarterback threw for 122 yards, leaving him just 16 passing yards short of 4,000 for his career.

"Me and C-Bo (Bokosky) played midgets, mighty mites, all the way through," said Romig. "We won a couple of little midget and mighty mite football championships. C-Bo took a little time off from football in middle school. When he came back, he came back strong in 10th grade. He set a lot of records. The records just come up. We have a solid team all around."

Boone coach Dave Bodolus definitely appreciates his record-setting players.

"Obviously, they’re two very talented young men," said Bodolus. "That also reflects on the quality of players around them -- the linemen and receivers. Any individual records are really a reflection of the team. It takes everybody working together to get records."

The Blazers jumped on the Blue Jays from the start, taking a 14-0 first-quarter lead on Romig’s one-yard TD run and Bokosky’s 17-yard scoring strike to Dexter Russell (five catches, 80 yards).

Romig had TD runs of two and 67 yards and Bokosky connected with Romig on a 30-yard TD pass to give the Blazers a 35-7 halftime lead.

Bokosky scored on a one-yard keeper in the third quarter and junior Mark Justice returned a punt 81 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, a week after scoring on a 78-yard punt return against Hanover.

The Blazers have now outscored their first two opponents 98-19.

"I didn’t foresee that," said Bodolus. "I thought we could be very competitive this year. We still have a long way to go to fulfill our potential."

Romig, well aware of Daniel Boone’s spotty football history, is a bit amazed at all of the records and dominating victories.

"Imagine this? I’d say no," said Romig. "Daniel Boone had a pretty weak program coming in. I was part of it all the way through.

"My ninth-grade team was inexperienced on our level. When coach Bodolus came, he set the standards and set the rules. He laid down the law for us. We want to win as many games as we can. Every year we’re getting better and better -- 6-5, 8-3, the district playoffs. The future to come? Watch out."

NOTES
Boone held Holy Name to 79 total yards, including minus 38 yards rushing on 27 attempts. ..Casey Smith had an interception for Boone while Anthony Heimbach and Jarrod Bailey recovered fumbles. ..Josh Sheriff record two sacks for Boone for minus 22 yards and T.J. Doyle had a sack for minus 16 yards. ..Boone two-way lineman Ben Stephens left the game in the second quarter with an injured right ankle. He did not return.

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