Observer-Reporter Athlete of the Week
Name: Anthony Welsh
School: Beth-Center
Year: Junior
Sport: Football
Welsh’s week: Welsh picked up where he left off after a stellar sophomore season when the Bulldogs opened play against Mapletown Friday night. The 5-11, 193-pound running back had 13 carries for 209 yards and three touchdowns as Beth-Center opened the Tri-County South Conference with a 34-6 win over rival Mapletown.
Welsh gave the Bulldogs the early lead with a 16-yard run just 4:45 into the first quarter, scored from 73 yards out in the second quarter and put the game out of reach with a 10-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
“He did exactly what I expected him to do,” Beth-Center head coach Ed Woods said. “That’s the type of football player he is. We expect a lot out of him, and his expectations are high also. He works very hard to get what he gets. He’s starting to get some pay days for that work. I’m happy for him.”
An elite player: Welsh was pivotal in the Bulldogs’ conference championship in 2013. At a school that uses multiple running backs, Welsh rushed for 1,336 yards in nine games and averaged 10 yards per carry. He scored 22 touchdowns and gained at least 100 yards and scored at least one touchdown in each game. Those numbers earned him a spot on the Observer-Reporter’s Elite 11.
The output was unexpected after Welsh received just 18 carries as a freshman. Now, he has high expectations for the season and his career..
“I feel a little more comfortable just running the ball,” Welsh said. “I feel comfortable running behind our line. They’re pretty good. My freshman year, I was nervous. It was just being inexperienced. Last year, I didn’t really worry about my age and worried about doing my job for the team.”
He did that and more as Beth-Center went undefeated during the regular season. Woods, who is in his 16th season with the Bulldogs, called Welsh a “special back.” When B-C opened the season against a Mapletown team that is thought to be a sleeper in the conference, Woods turned to Welsh to help ease the transition for sophomore quarterback Trent Cunko.
“So far, I’ve seen an improvement in his strength and his speed,” Woods said. “I’ve seen an improvement in his ability to cut, where last year he was more of a smash-mouth type and took a lot of contact. Not that he’s avoiding it now, but he is making it and getting separation. Before, he was kind of a bulldozer, and he would try to run over people. He’s developing into a back where he gets to the line and is seeing more of the field.”
The next step: Welsh grew up watching Beth-Center teams excel in Class A, and he always kept his eye on the Bulldogs’ running backs. He looked up to such backs as Deshawn Brown and Keith Miller.
“I just try to follow in their footsteps and keep the tradition,” Welsh said.
He is looking to lead Beth-Center to a WPIAL football title. A conference championship and a playoff win are at the top of his bucket list.
“Our goal is to win the conference and try to go undefeated in the regular season,” Welsh said. “We want to win some playoff games this year and I think we can.”
Compiled by Lance Lysowski