Darryl Poston

It might be hard for an opponent to imagine that Darryl Poston took

a year off from playing football.

Well, that’s just what the Edison High junior running back did

last year, forgoing his sophomore year on the playing field to learn and

grow as a young man.

Some probably couldn’t figure out Poston’s reasoning for leaving the

game, especially since he reached the 1,000-yard rushing plateau the year

before as a member of the Charger freshman team.

‘I really just needed the time off,’ said Poston, whose three

opponents thus far probably wish he hadn’t returned. ‘Some people were

saying that I was a big quitter, but all I was doing was taking some time

off to learn and grow. In that year off, I think I matured a lot.’

Poston has, but his rushing game hasn’t missed a beat.

In three games - all Edison victories - Poston has rushed for 545

yards and 10 touchdowns. His talents were never more evident than last

Friday, when he rushed for 213 yards and scored on touchdown runs

covering 26, 47, and 44 yards as Edison won for the first time at

Capistrano Valley.

Poston, the Independent’s Player of the Week, had nearly 200 yards

by the half. He played briefly at the outset of the third quarter, then

left the game with cramps.

He didn’t return to the game.

He didn’t need to.

The damage was done.

‘He’s just been awesome so far this season,’ Coach Dave White said of

Poston, who runs a 4.5 in the 40. ‘He had great blocking up front and

again downfield, but Darryl’s so quick that when he hits the hole, he’s

gone. He’s just been outstanding.’

Poston, who also runs track at Edison and is the Sunset League’s

reigning 200-meter champion, says that getting back onto the football

field has been just the thing he needed.

‘I’m more focused now and ready to play,’ he said. ‘I missed the team

work. It’s fun and exciting to see how well things can work out when you

work as a team. I feel a lot better just being out there and

contributing.’

With 10 touchdowns thus far, Poston is on pace to challenge Kerwin

Bell’s single-season (1979) touchdown record of 26, but that mark matters

little, according to the solid, 5-foot-10, 179-pound back.

‘What’s more important to me are team goals,’ he added. ‘I really

want to win league. But most of all, I want to get The Bell back from

Fountain Valley.’