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Powell named to all-state third team
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| Columbia High running back Tiger Powell was named to the Class 4A All-State third team on Thursday. JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Reporter |
Tigers running back had five games with more than 100 yards.
By TIM KIRBY
tkirby@lakecityreporter.com
Columbia High sophomore Tiger Powell is a member of the Class 4A All-State
football team announced
by the Florida Sports Writers Association on Thursday.
Powell was a third-team selection at running back and the only Tiger so honored. Columbia finished the season 8-4 following a second-round playoff loss to Nease High.
Powell led the Tigers with 1,270 yards on 192 carries
and scored 17 rushing
touchdowns. He also caught 11 passes for 113 yards and one touchdown and had an interception while playing defense.
Powell rushed for 300 yards in the Orange Park High game and had four other games where he ran for more than 100 yards.
“Orange Park was my
breakout game,” said Powell, who scored four touchdowns in the 54-35 shootout,
including scoring runs of
90 and 88 yards. “My
linemen threw some good blocks and once I got past
the corners and safeties,
there was no catching me.”
Powell is one of the
rare players who started
for Columbia as a freshman. He built on last year, when
he rushed for 970 yards
and seven touchdowns.
“When I was a ninth-grader playing with those guys
who are now in college, they kept pushing me,” Powell said. “They said I was
talented and had a great future in front of me. Every season my goal is to get
better. The coaches work
me every day in practice and I tell them to work me hard so I will get better.”
Columbia running back coach Quinton Callum played at South Florida and
compared Powell to backs he had seen in college.
“Tiger is so big and unique by size and he runs with power and quickness,” Callum said. “He has quick feet and can block well. He has good vision and great hands. He can catch, run and block and once he puts them all together he will be a great running back.”
Callum said the future is unlimited for Powell.
“He needs to continue to get stronger and work on his break-away speed,” Callum said. “Everything else is there. When he learns to play
aggressive, he will be
tremendous by his senior year. At times he shows it, but we forget he is a 15-16-year old.”
Powell is looking for big things from the Tigers.
“We have a big class and everybody is a leader,” Powell said. “It makes me feel good playing with the boys I grew up with.”
football team announced
by the Florida Sports Writers Association on Thursday.
Powell was a third-team selection at running back and the only Tiger so honored. Columbia finished the season 8-4 following a second-round playoff loss to Nease High.
Powell led the Tigers with 1,270 yards on 192 carries
and scored 17 rushing
touchdowns. He also caught 11 passes for 113 yards and one touchdown and had an interception while playing defense.
Powell rushed for 300 yards in the Orange Park High game and had four other games where he ran for more than 100 yards.
“Orange Park was my
breakout game,” said Powell, who scored four touchdowns in the 54-35 shootout,
including scoring runs of
90 and 88 yards. “My
linemen threw some good blocks and once I got past
the corners and safeties,
there was no catching me.”
Powell is one of the
rare players who started
for Columbia as a freshman. He built on last year, when
he rushed for 970 yards
and seven touchdowns.
“When I was a ninth-grader playing with those guys
who are now in college, they kept pushing me,” Powell said. “They said I was
talented and had a great future in front of me. Every season my goal is to get
better. The coaches work
me every day in practice and I tell them to work me hard so I will get better.”
Columbia running back coach Quinton Callum played at South Florida and
compared Powell to backs he had seen in college.
“Tiger is so big and unique by size and he runs with power and quickness,” Callum said. “He has quick feet and can block well. He has good vision and great hands. He can catch, run and block and once he puts them all together he will be a great running back.”
Callum said the future is unlimited for Powell.
“He needs to continue to get stronger and work on his break-away speed,” Callum said. “Everything else is there. When he learns to play
aggressive, he will be
tremendous by his senior year. At times he shows it, but we forget he is a 15-16-year old.”
Powell is looking for big things from the Tigers.
“We have a big class and everybody is a leader,” Powell said. “It makes me feel good playing with the boys I grew up with.”
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| Seniors lead surge | Indians earn second straight |
