Niles RB Nate Ganyard is on the verge of the school scoring mark.

By STEVE RUMAN

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

NILES — To suggest Nate Ganyard’s high school football career was met with instant success would be an understatement.

In his first varsity game, Ganyard recovered three second-period fumbles — including two which he returned for touchdowns — to lead Niles to a 34-24 win over rival Girard.

Ganyard went on to score 11 TDs during his sophomore season, and he has been scoring them in bunches ever since.

Last Friday against Cleveland Lincoln-West, Ganyard crossed the goal line four times before he was lifted from the game during the latter stages of the second quarter in the Red Dragons’ 56-6 win. In just two games this season, Ganyard has nine touchdowns.

Ganyard’s final TD last week put him in the Niles football record books which span 110 years. He is tied with Matt Estes as the school’s all-time leading scorer with 264 points. Estes established the mark as a senior in 2000.

“I honestly had no idea I was even close to the scoring mark until I read it in the paper the next morning,” Ganyard said.

“It’s cool. Last year, I knew I just missed the single-season scoring mark, so I went into this season wanting to somehow leave my mark on the football program.”

Big junior year

As a junior, Ganyard scored 24 touchdowns — one shy of Niles’ single-season record set in 1961 by Rick Sygar.

"I did the math, and I think I ended up playing the equivalent of six full games last year,” Ganyard noted.

Ganyard’s success is no surprise to Niles coach Tim Johnson, who has closely watched his star running back since he was dominating the competition at the junior high level.

“We kind of sensed that we were getting a good one,” Johnson said. “There were definitely a lot of expectations early on, which he has lived up to. That’s not always an easy thing to do.”

And, Ganyard has performed brilliantly on both sides of the ball. While he often makes headlines for what he does on offense, Johnson noted that Ganyard is one of the better linebackers in the area.

In fact, some scouting services suggest Ganyard will play defense in college.

“One of Nate’s best traits is that he knows the game. He’s an extremely smart player,” Johnson said. “He knows exactly what’s going on at all times, and he has an incredible knack for getting to the ball. It’s not by chance that he forces or recovers a lot of fumbles.”

Pressure player

While others may have caved in to the pressure that goes along with being a star in a town hungry for a football hero, Ganyard appears unfazed. In fact, Johnson noted that some of Ganyard’s best performances have occurred against rivals such as Howland, Girard and Canfield.

“I look at it as a challenge, not pressure,” Ganyard said. “I love being the guy with the ball in my hands who everyone else is chasing. Besides, I have a great offensive line who has never let me down, and I have coaches who never let me get too up following a win or too down after a loss.”

While many colleges have expressed interest in Ganyard, he says he has yet to receive any solid offers. To that, Johnson suggests that “someone is going to get themselves a real find.”

For now, Ganyard is content on pursuing his assault on the Niles record books, including his ultimate goal of helping guide the Red Dragons to a deep playoff run.

“I remember watching Matt [Estes] as a kid, and wanting to be like him,” Ganyard said.

“But what I remember most about the 2000 team is that they won two playoff games. I’d trade in any individual record for a long playoff run.”

Ganyard will have an opportunity to stand alone as Niles’ all-time leading scorer Friday when the Red Dragons play host to Lakeview.