Yough’s Dustin Shoaf rushes for 401 yards in win over Deer Lakes

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, September 14, 2018 | 10:54 PM

Previous Next

Previous Next

It didn’t matter the size of the opening, Dustin Shoaf found his way through it. The senior running back carried the ball 41 times for 401 yards and five touchdowns as Yough downed Deer Lakes, 32-13, in a Class 3A Big East Conference game Friday at Lancers Stadium.

While 401 yards is a major accomplishment, Shoaf wasn’t about to discount how he got there.

“It’s good to run for that against a great team like Deer Lakes,” Shoaf said. “Hats off to them. They played great. The line did it all. It wasn’t me. It was the offensive line, the whole team, the receivers. They all did it. They came to play today. We’re a running team, and they did their thing. I’m proud of them.”

Deer Lakes (1-2, 1-2) held a 13-0 lead early in the second quarter thanks to two touchdown passes by junior quarterback Aris Hasley but miscues took away the momentum.

An interception on second-and-22 by senior Ethan Bender, taking over for an injured Hasley, who later returned, put Yough (2-2, 2-1) at the Deer Lakes 18-yard line.

Three plays later, Shoaf found the end zone for the first time, a 3-yard run to make the score 7-6.

The ensuing drive saw Deer Lakes face a fourth-and-21 from their own 49. A bad snap caused an erratic punt that gave Yough the ball at the Deer Lakes 32. Shoaf capped off that drive with his second touchdown, a 1-yard run to give Yough a 14-13 lead after a successful 2-point conversion.

“He’s relentless,” Deer Lakes coach Tim Burk said of Shoaf. “He just keeps coming and keeps coming, and he runs harder and harder as the game goes on. We prepped our kids all week. He’s tough. He wore us down.”

The Lancers began the second half on offense, but a holding penalty on first down, followed by a three-and-out gave the ball right back to the Cougars. That’s when Shoaf went back to work. A 12-play drive saw Shoaf carry the ball eight times for 61 yards, and he capped it with by a 9-yard run to give Yough a 20-13 lead.

He would later add touchdown runs of 41 and 39 yards.

“Dustin is a phenomenal kid. He did his thing,” Yough coach Scott Wood said. “If our line, and his fullbacks don’t do their jobs, and the wide receivers don’t hold their blocks, he will tell you all the time he doesn’t get those runs.”

Deer Lakes was in position to tie the score at 20-20 in the third quarter when they drove down to the Yough 30. A sack on second-and-10, followed by an interception, extinguished that opportunity.

Hasley went 13 for 29 for 169 yards and two touchdowns and an interception. Senior receiver Jared Colton led Deer Lakes with six catches for 79 yards and one touchdown.

D.J. Vasil is a freelance writer.

Tags: Deer Lakes, Yough