Elzy's yardage piling up

The Warren JFK running back has almost 900 yards in just three games.
By JOHN BASSETTI
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
WARREN -- There's a familiar name in the backfield at Warren Kennedy High this season.
It's not the surname, it's the first name.
Last year, Anthony Ambeliotis ran for 1,406 yards in 14 games.
This year, it's Anthony Elzy, who has 865 yards in just three games.
That's 108 yards more than Elzy's 757 gained last year as a sophomore behind Ambeliotis. Their contribution helped JFK reach the Division V state semifinals before losing to Amanda Clearcreek.
A big chunk of Elzy's 865 came last Friday when the junior had 416 yards in a 64-62 loss to Girard.
The season of offense on one night at Arrowhead Stadium won't be soon forgotten, especially by Elzy.
The emotions
"It was exciting but nerve-wracking," said Elzy.
"I was anxious because the scoring was going back and forth. You have time to recover between touchdowns in most games, but not that one."
The 5-foot-10, 195-pounder had plenty of teammates to thank for their blocking, especially linemen Rocco Bello, A.J. Seifert, John Orwig, Michael Fye and Steve Telego; wide receivers Jack Henderson, Frank Albert and Brandon Battee and tight ends Bryan Markle, Julian Strother and Joe Cicchillo.
Elzy touched the ball 20 times and ran for seven touchdowns, the majority of the runs in double-digit yardage. He had six TDs in 2003.
"It gave me an adrenaline rush," Elzy said of the intensity built up by the pace.
Where he ran
Anthony, a cousin of former Warren Harding player Myron Elzy, said his success developed differently each half.
"In the first half, I was bouncing inside, then outside," he said of the blocking scheme of plays called by the coaches. "The second half was more cutback running, designed to go in toward the guard-tackle holes on both sides."
Option plays also helped when quarterback Ed Campana had the choice to keep or pitch to Elzy or Henderson, the other running back.
"We had Josh Cayson gain 315 yards a couple years ago," Coach Tony Napolet said, "but 416 is a lot. Elzy is special. He sees the field and makes the right cuts. It's both blocking and his ability."
In addition to Elzy's school-record yardage, Henderson had 58 yards.
"Jack complements what we try to do, offensively," Napolet said.
Campana, a senior, scored three times and threw a two-point conversion in his third varsity start.
By the game
Elzy had 230 yards against Newton Falls and 219 against Struthers before running into Girard's buzzsaw quarterback Bobby Ovesny and his 469-yard performance on 34 of 45 passes.
"No defense showed up, theirs or ours," Napolet said.
"We made mistakes and they capitalized," he said of a lost fumble and Girard recovery of an onside kick.
"They never made a mistake. Their quarterback was perfect. He dissected our defense.
"It seemed that the last team to touch the ball, with time, would be the winner. We were on their 40 with 38 seconds left ... if we had more time."
bassetti@vindy.com