Kirk Elsworth didn’t wait long to etch his place in county history.
On the first play from scrimmage against Yale Oct. 22, the Goodrich senior took a handoff from senior quarterback Keith Brotherton and rushed 59 yards for a touchdown, becoming the only player in Genesee County history to surpass the 2,000 yard rushing mark.
He finished with 276 yards on 18 carries and five touchdowns as the Martians routed the host Bulldogs 55-0. With the win, the Martians improved to 8-1 heading into their district playoff game Oct. 29 against visiting Livonia Clarenceville.
Elsworth now has 2,228 yards on the season, breaking the county mark of 1,995 set by Grand Blanc’s Reggie Benton in 1999. In addition, he surpassed Benton’s career county rushing record of 5,035 yards. Elsworth now has 5,180 rushing yards for his career.
There was no celebrating or stoppage in game play because of the record, but with the players gathered after the game, Goodrich coach Tom Alward awarded Elsworth the game ball. In turn, Elsworth asked his offensive linemen to sign the ball in recognition of their hard work this season.
Alward said the offensive line played a key role in Elsworth’s record.
‘No one gets a record like that by himself,? he said. ‘No other offensive line in the area has accomplished that. They’re very aware of how many yards Kirk has. That puts them in elite company.?
In addition to his first-quarter scamper, Elsworth scored on runs of 26, 13, 59, and 33 yards before sitting out the final quarter.
The Martians also received plenty of other contributions on the evening. Senior Jeff Decator ran for 130 yards on three carries, including a 69-yard touchdown to finish the scoring. Senior Adam Compeau scored on a 24-yard touchdown run, and Brotherton connected with Basil Wilson on a 5-yard touchdown pass.
Goodrich now turns their attention to Livonia Clarenceville, whom they defeated in last year’s playoffs. The Trojans went 7-2 overall and 6-2 in the Metro Conference this season under first-year coach Ryan Hockman.
Alward said the Trojans are a different team than the one the Martians defeated last year.
‘They spread the ball around and have some real good athletes,? he said. ‘They’ll be a formidable foe for us. We’re hopeful we can play defense against them like we have most of the year.?
Hockman said the Trojans run a multiple-I formation offense with roots in the West Coast offense, as well as a good athletes,? he said. ‘They’ll be a formidable foe for us. We’re hopeful we can play defense against them like we have most of the year.?
Hockman said the Trojans run a multiple-I formation offense with roots in the West Coast offense, as well as a multiple-front defense with a 4-4 base. Key players for Clarenceville are seniors Bruno Shkreli (tailback), Allen Garrant (quarterback) and Russell Spencer (defensive tackle), and juniors Jemere Gainer (linebacker) and Raymond Gardner (wide receiver).
He said he has watched game tapes of the Martians and knows the Trojans will be in for a battle.
‘I see a team that’s very physical,? Hockman said. ‘Their offensive linemen come off the ball and stay on their blocks. They break down the game in very simple elements, and let you know you’re going to be in for a physical game.?
He said the Trojans will have a tough time defeating the Martians, but at the same time, his team will use the playoff matchup as a barometer for the future.
‘It will be a challenge for us as a program,? Hockman said. ‘We can use it as a measuring stick to see where we’re at. We’re probably a year away from being able to compete with Goodrich.?