Poston breaks out

Mike Sciacca, Independent

After hearing disparaging comments from a few Mater Dei players

following a Sept. 29 loss to the top-ranked Monarchs, Edison High running

back Darryl Poston had something to prove.

“I heard a few of their (Mater Dei) players saying that I wasn’t as

tough a runner as they thought I’d be,” said Poston, who took the

comments as a personal challenge and hit the weight room even harder last

week in preparation for last Saturday’s big showdown with Servite. “They

gave me a lot of incentive.”

And Servite, a big headache.

Poston responded with his best showing of the season against the

Friars, rushing for 251 yards and three touchdowns on 34 carries as the

Chargers scored a 35-33 victory at Cal State Fullerton to drop Servite

from the ranks of the unbeaten.

The weight room work of the 5-foot-11, 186 senior took effect from the

outset of Saturday’s game. He scored on his 62 yard run to tie the score

at 7-7 in the first quarter, then scored Edison’s final touchdown of the

first half on a 15 yard sprint as the Chargers opened up a 21-14 halftime

lead.

Poston credits his offensive line - Chris Veneracion, Billy Haley,

Zach Nilsson, Steven Burke, and Ryan Keating, for opening big holes. Once

there’s an opening, Poston does the rest of the damage.

He also acknowleged the play of his backfield running mates, fullbacks

Jonathan Miller and Tim Keating.

“My line did a great job of blocking and when everybody’s blocking,

all I have to do is go on instinct,” Poston said. “I give those guys

(linemen) a lot of credit. They deserve to get the Player of the Week

honor as much as I do.”

Poston also was put on the field for kickoff returns, although, but

for one kick, the Friars kicked the ball away from him.

Poston did race 35 yards on his lone return.

“He looked like the Darryl of old,” Edison Coach Dave White said. “He

finds that hole and then does his thing, and that’s exciting to see. Our

line blocked really well for Darryl, and that was all he needed. He’s

great at cutting back, and he’s got tremendous speed.”

One of four team leaders on Edison’s squad, Poston says he’ll give a

verbal commitment to USC this week. The thought of that, in addition to

his big showing against Servite, has Poston pumped for the start of the

Sunset League race.

It begins Friday against Huntington Beach.

“I’d definitely say that the Servite game was my favorite performance

of the season,” he concluded. “That was a big win for us, and our team is

really excited about starting league play. I think we can do a lot of

great things.”