By Darron Thomas
With the 2009 MAIS football season underway week one provided some insight on what could be a very special one for a group of running backs which at season’s end could be considered one of the best in recent years. No fewer than five backs will garner much of the attention as the season progresses and a few more could join that group. Two players that are among the elite backs in the MAIS had much different starts to the 2009 season. Seniors Zach Sinclair of Centreville and Bobby Muse of Central Private are arguably the best two running backs in AA football if not the entire MAIS.
(Above) Centreville's Zach Sinclair
(Below) Central Private's Bobby MuseWith the 2009 MAIS football season underway week one provided some insight on what could be a very special one for a group of running backs which at season’s end could be considered one of the best in recent years. No fewer than five backs will garner much of the attention as the season progresses and a few more could join that group. Two players that are among the elite backs in the MAIS had much different starts to the 2009 season. Seniors Zach Sinclair of Centreville and Bobby Muse of Central Private are arguably the best two running backs in AA football if not the entire MAIS.
(Above) Centreville's Zach Sinclair
Both Sinclair and Muse are established backs with big games against solid competition on their resumes over the past few seasons. Sinclair led the Centreville Tigers to their second consecutive AA State title (264 yards in the title game) last season with 2,085 yards rushing. Zach Sinclair can carry a team and is one of the hardest runners anywhere. The senior possesses the ability to quickly hit a hole or sweep around the edges and has a great knack for making tacklers miss. Sinclair ran for 84 yards against a tough Oak Forest defense last week. Bobby Muse led the Central Private Rebels to a District 5AA title in 2008 and rushed for 1,676 yards. The senior running back is a premier north-south runner and rarely does one player bring him down. Muse racked up 373 yards rushing against Huntington in week one.Exceptionally gifted are both players but there are a few more running backs that could be pivotal to their teams’ success as the season goes forward and may join Sinclair and Muse in the premier back club.
*Glenbrook’s William Thompson ran for 226 yards against Claiborne.
*WCCA’s Tip McKenzie ran for 156 yards in week one.
*ACCS’s Brandon Sanders ran for 145 yards against Cenla Christian.
The best two backs in the MAIS (in my humble opinion) will meet head-to-head in week 11 as Central Private goes to Centreville. Central Private beat Centreville 13-12 during the final seconds last season.
