Tailbacks Shoot for the Golden Years

It has been two years since Jason Anderson and Andrew Campbell met on a football field.

It was another high school game.

But in a different stadium.

And they were playing for different teams.

The first time, Anderson was a sophomore at Monroe High. Campbell was a sophomore at Reseda.

Both have since transferred, Anderson to Palmdale and Campbell to Golden League rival Antelope Valley.

They are starting running backs, but they have more than that in common.

Both have at times struggled to meet the high expectations of others.

And both players, now seniors, have overcome slow starts this season to become featured performers in a showdown--probably for the league championship--tonight between Palmdale and Antelope Valley.

Anderson’s Palmdale team (5-2, 2-0 in league play) and Campbell’s Antelope Valley squad (4-2, 2-0) are the only unbeaten teams in the league.

Anderson and Campbell have spent the better part of the past two seasons trying to recapture the promise they once showed.

JASON ANDERSON

Two years ago, Anderson ran for 1,325 yards and 12 touchdowns at Monroe.

In one game, Anderson gained 227 yards in only four carries against Campbell’s Reseda team.

Following that All-City sophomore season, Anderson moved to Palmdale amid much fanfare.

He teamed with running back Jan Brown to gain 1,855 yards, and the Falcons claimed a share of their first Golden League title since 1965.

With Brown having graduated and Anderson coming off a 920-yard junior season, this was to be his break-out year.

Through six games, however, the 6-foot-2, 185-pound Anderson had rushed for only one touchdown and 372 yards, an average of 62 per game.

“I would go home on Friday nights and ask myself if I was playing my hardest,” Anderson said. “I would ask myself, ‘What happened out there tonight?’ ”

Falcon Coach Jeff Williams was doing the same thing.

“I would have guessed he’d have twice as many yards at this point,” he said. “But, with running backs, it sometimes becomes a confidence thing. He needed that bust-out game to turn things around.”

It came last week against Quartz Hill.

Anderson entered the game trailing Shaun Perez for the rushing lead on his own team.

Perez was injured early in the game and Anderson used the opportunity and increased number of carries to run for 243 yards and two touchdowns.

“I was going to do my best that night, no matter what,” Anderson said. “I’m trying to regain myself while I still can and get myself to where I am supposed to be. I was supposed to be at at least 1,000 yards by now.”

He has 615 yards, third in the league behind Littlerock’s Michael Woods at 797 and Lancaster’s Daniel Pagnella at 668, and 140 yards short of the 3,000-yard mark for his career.

ANDREW CAMPBELL

Until recently, Campbell had accomplished little at the varsity level.

As a freshman, he led Antelope Valley’s junior varsity to a Golden League title.

By his sophomore season, he transferred to Reseda, where academic difficulties forced him to quit the team with three games left.

The Regents went on to win the City 3-A championship.

As a junior, he bounced back to Antelope Valley, where he was academically ineligible and forced to sit out the season.

This season provided the bruising 5-9, 205-pound runner with one last opportunity to show his talent, and an impressive effort during summer passing league indicated he would do just that.

But by opening night Campbell had fallen down the depth chart to become just another faceless member in a backfield platoon.

“We waited for him to step up and take charge, but it seemed he was satisfied to stay back and not jump in there,” Coach Brent Newcomb said.

Bruce Molock stepped up. So did Nakia Manick. And Jermaine Norman.

Campbell, also a linebacker, remained in a platoon role on offense until only recently.

Two weeks ago, Campbell recovered a fumble, blocked a field-goal attempt and rushed for an 11-yard touchdown in a 29-6 victory over Quartz Hill.

Last week, with Molock and Manick sidelined much of the game with ankle injuries, Campbell gained 101 yards in 17 carries.

“I always figured that everything would fall into place in time,” he said.

With three games left in the regular season, time is running out.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Ticket to Transfer

Palmdale’s Jason Anderson and Antelope Valley’s Andrew Campbell have become rushing leaders for their teams this season after transferring from ity Section schools:

Andreson:

Rushes: 98

Yards: 615

Avg./carry: 6.2

Touchdowns: 3

*

Campbell:

Rushes: 51

Yards: 285

Avg./carry: 5.5

Touchdowns: 3