No Name and Not Much Fame, but Northview Runners Tough

They do not have a catchy nickname like Mr. Inside and Mr. Outside or the Pony Express or even the Blair Pair .

No, the tandem of running backs Mike Galindo and Marcus Green of Northview High in Covina has operated in a little more obscurity than some of the storied one-two rushing punches of the past.

But, nickname or not, it is difficult to ignore the rushing figures they have produced for the Vikings this season.

A lot of high school teams can claim to have a 1,000-yard rusher. Not many can say they have two.

With one game remaining in the regular season, Galindo has rushed for 1,067 yards and 19 touchdowns in 174 carries and Green has 1,014 yards and 13 touchdowns in 112 carries.

How unusual is it for a team to have two 1,000-yard rushers?

“I’ve been coaching for 22 years and I’ve never had two guys (on the same team) over 1,000 yards,” said Northview Coach Brian Beveridge. “It’s something that just doesn’t happen a lot.”

The pair gave an indication of things to come last season when Galindo rushed for about 1,500 yards and Green ran for about 700. That planted the idea that both could surpass the 1,000-yard barrier this season.

“Going into the season, the offensive linemen were thinking about it more than we were,” Galindo said.

“We really didn’t know how good they’d be “ Beveridge added. “I think we’re just quite fortunate to have both.”

Green and Galindo do not exactly have a lot in common.

Both are 17 years old and have outstanding speed with clockings of about 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash.

That’s about as far as their similarity goes on the field. Green, a junior, is 6-1 and 185 pounds. Galindo, a senior, is just 5-9 and 171.

“Mike is really a fun runner to watch,” Beveridge said. “He’s elusive and he doesn’t go down easily, and Marcus is a very strong runner. He just doesn’t go down.”

Lately, though, Green said the roles of the two backs have been reversed.

“I used to be more of a power running back but I found that by cutting back I could pick up extra yardage,” he said. “It’s kind of a switch. At the beginning of the season, I was doing the power running and he (Mike) was getting the breakaways.”

“That’s not to say Marcus can’t run short and I can’t run long. We can do both. We just do whatever is there for us.”

Beveridge said both backs have been crucial to the success of his team, which won the CIF Eastern Conference title last season, has an 8-1 record and is ranked No. 3 in CIF Division IV this year.

“I think Marcus is probably a little better all-around,” Beveridge said. “He also catches the ball and he’s a little bigger and stronger, and we try to utilize that. But Mike can really get the tough yards. He has the ability to slide through.”

Green has also caught 15 passes for 180 yards and, as a tackle and nose guard on defense, has 7 quarterback sacks.

That has helped make Green more of an NCAA Division I college prospect than Galindo.

“He (Green) is only a junior, he’s bigger and he’s tough defensively,” Beveridge said. “I hope Mike would go someplace, but his size has got to be a hindrance.”

The backs have maintained a close friendship off the field.

“We’re pretty close,” Galindo said. “Marcus comes over to my house a lot and he knows he’s always welcome. We go out to eat a lot and we go out on dates a lot, too.

“It seems like our parents give us a little more freedom because they know we take care of each other. There is something there that’s just a little bit stronger than just being teammates. It goes beyond that.”

They also make a pretty good pair on the field.

“The way me and Marcus think is when we play against a defense,” Galindo said, “they don’t have to think about only one of us. They have to think twice because the two of us are just as quick.”

With two talented running backs to turn to, it is easier to keep both fresh during games.

“It kind of gives (us) a break out there,” Galindo said. “The coach can give one the ball three times in a row and then give the other the ball.”

It is no wonder that Northview has been a running team, as opposed to last season when the Vikings displayed more balance with Bill Gallis at quarterback.

“I think Chuck (Kemp, the quarterback) has done a good job, but we haven’t needed to throw the ball,” Beveridge said.

“I think they (Galindo and Green) are our most successful commodity. So when you want things to get done you tend to go with them. We’re throwing, but there’s still more of a tendency to go to them.

“Last year it was tough keeping everyone happy. We wanted to throw but we also wanted to run. This year we’ve kind of accepted it (rushing) a little more.”

Because of the emphasis on the run, Galindo and Green have received more attention from opponents than they did last season.

“Against Walnut last week, they had all 11 guys within 5 yards of the line,” Galindo said. “So it kind of gives us an incentive to work harder. It’s a little tougher (than last year), but it’s also nice to be known.”

Known on the field, that is.

While Beveridge expects Green to receive interest from major colleges next season, neither of the backs has received much interest from college scouts.

“We heard from USC and Hawaii last year, but this year we haven’t heard anything,” Galindo said. “That’s kind of disappointing because we want to go to college.

“But that kind of gives us an incentive. There are guys that get recognition out there and they’re good, but we think we’re just as good. It’s an incentive, but it’s a disappointment, too.”

Galindo and Green are hoping that their disappointment can help provide enough incentive for the Vikings to win another CIF championship.

But, whether they are recruited by major colleges or not, the players say they are proud of their success at Northview.

About the only thing that has been missing is a nickname. Not that there are not possibilities.

With Gallis in the backfield last year, Galindo said the three were known as the G-force, but that changed this season with the quarterback’s graduation.

“Our English teacher dubbed us the M & M boys but that’s about it,” Galindo said.

On that theme, Green said, “We both have little bears that say M & M on it. We got them from the cheerleaders.”

For Northview opponents, though, Galindo and Green have simply been double trouble.