Freeway League : Weatherspoon Racks Up Yards and Defenders

Pity those who wander in the path of La Habra High School running back Chuck Weatherspoon.

A few brave defenders from Troy tried it Friday night and ended up bruised, beaten and covered with cleat marks.

Weatherspoon, a 5-foot 8-inch, 200-pound frigate, ran over, around and right by the Warriors, rushing for 227 yards and 2 touchdowns to lead the Highlanders to a 19-0 victory in a Freeway League game played before 1,500 in La Habra Stadium.

The victory, La Habra’s fourth against no losses in league, clinched the league championship for the Highlanders, who close the season next week against Sunny Hills. Fullerton’s 9-7 win over the Lancers Friday night created a four-way tie for second place between Troy, Sunny Hills, Fullerton and Sonora. All are 2-2.

A good portion of Weatherspoon’s yardage came on a 94-yard touchdown run in the third period, on which he took a pitch from quarterback Matt Shackelford and headed around the right side, cut back up the middle and outraced the Troy secondary on his way to the end zone.

Weatherspoon ran untouched for that score, but most of his other 133 yards were accompanied with punishing hits dealt to those who tried to tackle him.

Weatherspoon also had three touchdown runs called back because of penalties, but he still left his mark on several Warrior defenders.

In the second quarter, he took a handoff from the Troy 32-yard line, got through the middle and flattened Warrior defensive back Scott Poulsen at the 15 before continuing into the end zone. The score, however, was nullified by a holding call.

In the fourth quarter, Weatherspoon took a handoff from his 43 and appeared to be tackled at midfield by Troy’s Lenny Wagner. But Weatherspoon escaped Wagner’s grasp, spun around and raced toward the end zone, barreling over Jerry Agular at the 2-yard line for an apparent touchdown. That score, too, was called back by a holding penalty.

Weatherspoon’s other touchdown, which wasn’t called back, was a two-yard run in the second period that gave the Highlanders a 7-0 lead.

“Instead of letting them tackle me, I attack them,” said Weatherspoon, who doesn’t need shoulder pads to look big. “I just hit them, don’t worry about them and get up fast. And if they’re hurt, I hit them again.”

Troy can take some solace in knowing that its not the only team that has had trouble stopping Weatherspoon. The senior, who entered the game as Orange County’s fifth-leading rusher, has racked up 1,337 yards and 11 touchdowns this year and is averaging a whopping 10.6 yards per carry.

It wouldn’t matter if defenses keyed on him. He’s the only runner in the Highlanders’ backfield. It takes a gang to bring him down.

“What can I say?” Highlander Coach Bob Rau asked afterward. “He’s a great runner.”

Rau also got an excellent performance from his defense, which forced six turnovers while recording its third shutout in league play.

The Highlanders intercepted Troy quarterback David St. Clair three times and forced three fumbles. Adolf Renaud, Mike Segovia and, would you believe, Weatherspoon, who doubles sometimes as a defensive back, each had interceptions.

Renaud also caught 4 passes for 73 yards, while Shackelford, the La Habra quarterback, completed 5 of 13 attempts for 96 yards. The Highlanders also received field goals of 26 and 44 yards from Jim Dean.

St. Clair, who was ranked No. 17 among county quarterbacks in passing efficiency, was harassed into a poor night by his standards, completing 8 of 17 attempts for 127 yards and rushing 12 times for 50 yards.