Observer-Reporter Athlete of the Week
Name: James Duchi
School: McGuffey
Year: Senior
Sport: Football
Duchi’s week: McGuffey’s workhorse running back only needed nine carries to gain 248 yards and score six touchdowns Friday night in the Highlanders’ 56-6 non-conference win over Mohawk.
He had five runs of 40 yards or more.
The 6-0, 201-pounder has nine touchdowns and 500 yards through three games for McGuffey (1-1, 2-1).
“The thing that shocked me after the game was nine carries for 248,” McGuffey head coach Ed Dalton said. “As you are coaching, you are going from offense to defense and you aren’t paying attention to how many carries somebody has. You are more scoreboard-oriented. That’s a pretty spectacular night. I don’t know if I’ve seen a lot of performances like that.”
Starting over: For the past two years, Duchi found himself sharing the running chores with Patrick Frey. That’s no knock on Duchi as Frey was an Observer-Reporter Elite 11 selection last year, was a first team all-conference selection on offense and defense and was named Century Conference Player of the Week four times.
Duchi also made an impact. As a junior, he rushed for 1,065 yards on 138 carries and 10 touchdowns. That was complemented by Frey’s 1,290 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns.
“I don’t want to be a senior, but I guess I like it,” Duchi said. “You have to step up. When you’re the main guy, you have to run the hardest and you have no breaks.”
Duchi’s performance heated up the first brisk night of the season.
On McGuffey’s first offensive play, Duchi scored from 24 yards. On the first play of their next drive, he scampered 63 yards for a touchdown.
He added touchdown runs of 14, 6, 56 and 63 yards.
He did all of that while playing with a tender hamstring, which he pulled three weeks ago.
“He got to the first level, then he had a really good lateral cut on one,” Dalton said. “He had a good sideline run on one, he ran over people twice on his path to the end zone. He’s kind of a complete runner. He can do different things. He can run like a fullback sometimes and he runs like a running back other times. He’s a good, big back.”
Training: Ever since Duchi started lifting weights, he has been a workaholic. From speed training to detailing every portion of his workout, the senior embraces the extra work and looks every bit the part of a football player. Dalton said his running back looks like a college sophomore. Last spring, Duchi ran track and he said that helped him gain an extra burst.
It all led to a Friday night Duchi will never forget.
“We came out from the start and on our first two offensive drives, we scored on the first play,” Duchi said. “It was fun. That’s the first time I’ve had six touchdowns. Everyone is excited. I feel like we should win a lot more games this year.”
Compiled by Lance Lysowski