PLAYER OF THE WEEK : White Has Little Trouble Exceeding Expectations

When talking about the best running backs in the Valley, start with Crespi’s Russell White.

His coach, Bill Redell, says the rest of the competition pales by comparison.

“He’s the best anywhere,” Redell said. “He’s a rare kid who comes along maybe every 50 years.”

That’s a lot for a 15-year-old sophomore to live up to. But so far, White has.

Last week in a 28-0 victory over Santa Barbara, White gained 193 yards and scored 2 touchdowns on 14 carries. That performance ranks fourth on Crespi’s single-game rushing list.

In three games, White has scored 7 touchdowns, gained 452 yards and is averaging 16.1 yards per carry.

“If someone had told me that all this would be happening right now, I’d have said, ‘Nah, you’re joshin,’ ” White said. “But I’m not intimidated.”

White may break the school single-season rushing and scoring records by the eighth game. The record of 1,193 yards is held by Willie Curran, who played for UCLA and the Atlanta Falcons. The scoring mark of 19 touchdowns belongs to Brian Porter, who played at Crespi in 1965.

Said Burbank Coach Dave Carson: “It’ll take some time to tell whether he is the best ever, but he just may be. This year he’s playing at a level equal to, or better than, the seniors.