JEFFREY REINHART jreinhart@LNPnews.com
McCaskey fans have been waiting for Jerome LaRue to bust loose.
They got their wish last Friday, when the Red Tornado’s lightning-quick running back — 100 percent healthy for the first time this season — showed off his skills against Penn Manor.
The 5-10, 190-pound senior rushed for 153 yards and a pair of touchdows on 19 carries and returned a punt for a touchdown in McCaskey’s 20-13 Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 1 victory.
LaRue’s season had been a roadmap of pain prior to last Friday’s victory.
Just before to the start of camp back in August, he suffered a broken hand while playing a friendly game of football at a family barbecue.
He recovered in time for the start of the season, but tweaked his knee in McCaskey’s first game, an 18-14 loss to Downingtown East. The injury eventually forced him to sit out McCaskey’s third game after he was unable to play through the pain.
After taking a few weeks to get back to full speed, LaRue finally broke through last week in a much-needed win for the Tornado, which was coming of consecutive shutout losses — 10-0 to Hempfield and 22-0 to Wilson.
McCaskey improved to 2-2 in the section and 2-5 overall, and must win out to have a chance at the district playoffs.
Against Penn Manor, LaRue had a 63-yard TD burst and he returned a punt 45 yards for a score in the first half, and the 6-0, 195-pound senior burner put McCaskey ahead 20-0 with a 9-yard TD run in the third quarter.
For his efforts, LaRue is the New Era Player of the Week.
“It was a very important win for us,” McCaskey coach Scott Feldman said. “And Jerome was great. He’s finally healthy. The 63-yard touchdown run was just unbelievable. Everybody knows that if he has this much room, he’s going to get through there and do some damage.”
LaRue, who was second in the league in rushing last season with 1,227 yards and 14 TDs in the regular season, did plenty of damage against Penn Manor.
Then he sat down Monday and feasted on the New Era’s Five Questions:
COMING OFF BACK-TO-BACK SHUTOUT LOSSES, IT HAD TO FEEL GOOD TO BEAT PENN MANOR.
“Oh yeah. It was very important for us to win that game and rebound coming off two games when we got shutout. And Penn Manor had beaten us the last two years, so it felt really good to finally get them.
“We know we’ll have to win the rest of our games to qualify for the district playoffs, and that was a great start. It was nice to finally put some points on the board.”
YOU TAKE ON MANHEIM TOWNSHIP ON FRIDAY. ARE YOU ANXIOUS TO GET A SHOT AT THE FIRST-PLACE TEAM?
“Of course, and we beat them in Districts last year, so this should be interesting. But Township is going to be a tough team to beat. But we’d love to knock them out of (at least sole possession of) first place.
If it comes down to a field goal, they have the best kicker in the league (senior David Soldner). So we can’t let it come down to a field goal. We have to come out and put points on the board and try and shut them down. We’ll have to stay focused.”
YOU’VE BEEN SLOWED BY SOME NAGGING INJURIES THIS SEASON. THAT HAS TO BE FRUSTRATING, RIGHT?
“Definitely. It was tough missing a game and watching the team lose, and it’s been tough not being able to play my hardest and do what I can normally do … or do what everyone knows I can do.”
BEFORE THE SEASON, COACH FELDMAN CALLED YOU THE BEST RUNNING BACK IN THE STATE. DID YOU MIND THAT PRESSURE?
“I knew that meant a whole lot of people would have their eyes on me, but I didn’t really take it as pressure. I like the role of taking the ball and putting everyone on my back. I don’t mind that role at all. So I guess it didn’t bother me that much.”
IS THERE A PLAYER YOU TRY AND EMULATE?
“(New Orleans Saints running back) Reggie Bush. He’s got it all: Speed. Agility. Balance.
