Blose sets Pennsylvania prep rushing mark

ASSOCIATED PRESS
The only person more surprised to learn he had broken the Pennsylvania single-game rushing record than Harbor Creek running back Stephen Blose was his coach, Dan Budziszewski.
Blose ran for 488 yards on 28 carries in Harbor Creek's 56-22 victory against Fort LeBoeuf in a PIAA District 10 game on Friday, breaking the record of 455 yards by Connellsville's Marcus Furman in 2000.
"I really didn't know how many yards he had," Budziszewski said. "I was more concerned with winning the game and that we couldn't stop their offense."
Blose, a 5-foot-8, 170-pound senior, scored on runs of 46, 46, 1, 63, 77 and 89 yards. He also kicked all the extra points for Harbor Creek (3-3).
"I heard guys talking after the game about him having 490 yards and I said, 'Are you kidding?' I had no idea he had close to that many," Budziszewski said. "Then I saw in the paper the next day it was a state record. I didn't even know what the state record was."
Remarkably, the 488 yards represented 107 yards more than Blose had gained this season. He went into the contest with 381 yards rushing, but missed three games with a hamstring injury.
Blose is a Division I-A college prospect -- but as a kicker, not a running back. He has field goals of 47, 43 and 40 yards after connecting on five field goals last year.
Pitt, West Virginia and Akron are aware of Blouse's kicking ability.
"His kickoffs are high and deep and he's made just about every extra point he's tried," Budziszewski said. "He gets his kicks up quickly and he's just nice and smooth with his follow-through. He doesn't have to hit it hard to have it go 40 yards."