If there were any Lompoc High football fans worried about how the team would replace last season’s top rusher Marcel Blow, they can worry no more.
There’s a new No. 1 at running back for the Braves, and junior Lavon Coleman looks like the real deal right out of the gate. In his first-ever start as running back, a season opening win over Arroyo Grande on Sept. 2, the fleet-footed Coleman rushed for 174 yards and scored three touchdowns. He added a 71-yard kickoff return to set up another TD, and even hauled in an interception playing as a defensive back.
Coleman gave all the credit to his offensive line for pumping him up and creating avenues to paydirt.
“They made the holes, and they cleared the way for me to make it to the end zone,” Coleman said. “They just conquered the line and made it pretty easy to get through.”
Coleman followed that performance with 167 yards on the ground on 27 carries in a 24-17 win over Pioneer Valley on Sept. 9.
Originally from L.A., Coleman calls himself the “YAC President,” a term referring to yards gained on the ground after contact. He’s been working out with heavyweight “YAC” footballs and focusing on breaking as many tackles as possible.
“[Running backs] coach [Sheldon] Canley told us, ‘Never stop moving your feet,’” Coleman said. “As a YAC back, you do whatever you need to do to get to the end zone.”
Lompoc’s second-year head coach, Andrew Jones, said he was fortunate to have Coleman in his backfield, calling him one of the top players on the Central Coast.
“Most high schools don’t get those types of kids who are so physically gifted,” Jones said. “He’s an extremely hard worker, and he really wants to carry the load, but at the same time he knows how valuable all of his teammates are. They’ve got a pretty good thing going right now.”
Described as a downhill runner with a rare mix of size and speed, Coleman rushed for more than 600 yards last season as a backup to Blow. This year, he’ll split time with junior Taylor Cornejo to create a one-two punch for the Braves’ noted running game.
At the rate he’s going, Jones said, Coleman could have his pick of where he wants to play by the time he graduates.
“If I work hard and keep listening to my coaches, I’ll be at the collegiate level,” Coleman said. “After that, I just hope to get drafted.”
This article appears in Sep 15-22, 2011.
