Injured senior scores four touchdowns for Lake

September 25, 2004

Tom Reed, Akron Beacon Journa

Just as he did a week ago, Lake senior A.J. Workman spent much of the fourth quarter on the sidelines lending support to teammates. But on Friday night the indispensible Blue Streaks running back left the field on his own terms. And without wearing a sling.

Workman might have a bad shoulder, but his ability to carry significant loads could register on truck weigh-station scales.

Playing with a slightly separated shoulder, Workman rushed for 138 yards and four touchdowns in leading the Blue Streaks to a 37-14 win over North Canton.

Workman had been advised to rest the injury for two weeks. By midweek, though, he pronounced himself healthy enough to play and carried the ball 29 times.

"He brings such toughness and runs with such effort," Lake coach Jeff Durbin said of the 5-foot-11, 180-pound back. "We didn't know how he would hold up."

Workman, who has rushed for more than 700 yards this season, sustained the injury two weeks ago in a win over Wooster.

He tried to play through the pain last week, even getting a cortisone shot at halftime, but did not return for the second half of a 13-10 loss at Jackson. His arm was in a sling by game's end.

"I still would have loved to be out there having fun with everyone else," Workman said. "It's hard watching from the sidelines feeling helpless."

Workman wore extra padding on the right shoulder Friday. He did no further damage to it, but tore a tendon on the ring finger of his right hand.

That barely qualifes as a nick for a Blue Streaks team saddled with injuries since preseason. Quarterback John Rutan has been playing with an injured right shoulder. Senior Jameson Konz, one of the team's best all-around players, made his season debut after missing four weeks with a knee injury. Lake is still missing several starters.

But the Blue Streaks (4-1, 2-1) are as healthy as they have been since training camp, and it showed against North Canton (1-4, 1-1).

Rutan completed 12-of-17 passes for 168 yards. The Blue Streaks outgained North Canton, 423-167. Workman did not play again after scoring his fourth touchdown on a 11-yard run to make it 37-14 with 11:09 remaining.

"We just got beat by a better team tonight," North Canton coach Don Hertler Jr. said.

The Vikings were held to 34 yards and two first downs in the first half. The Vikings scored first, however, courtesy of a blocked punt by Nathan Logan that set up a short touchdown drive.

Quarterback Jason Foote threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Sean Kostelnik on a fourth-and-6 to give the Vikings an early lead. But the Blue Streaks methodically took control of the game, amassing 256 yards before halftime.

Workman carried the ball 22 times for 97 yards. Rutan completed 7-of-12 passes for 121 yards. He also had a 39-yard scramble that led to a field goal that cut the first-quarter deficit to 7-3.

The Blue Streaks scored touchdowns on their next three possessions, including Rutan's well-thrown 26-yard strike to Konz.

The half ended with Lake leading 23-7.

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