Football: It’s the battle of the running backs

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It’s putup or shutup time for Lake Balboa Birmingham and Arleta, two schools that want to prove they belong with the top teams in the City Section. They meet in a first-round Division I playoff game on Friday at Birmingham. Beware of the running backs.

Arleta’s De’Shon Coleman has tied the City Section single-season touchdown record with 46. Birmingham junior Isaiah Hastings has gone past 1,000 yards rushing.

Birmingham won the West Valley League title and is seeded No. 6. Arleta won the East Valley League title and is seeded No. 11.

‘He has so many big plays,’ Birmingham Coach Jim Rose said of Coleman. ‘He’s a kid every time he touches the ball he could go for 80 [yards].’

-- Eric Sondheimer