GROVE CITY — Just call him the “Trey Train.”

Trey Adams runs with a lean and a determination that he will not be stopped, not when the first down marker or the goal line is within his reach.

One player doesn't often drag the 6-foot, 210-pound Grove City High fullback down. Once he gets a full head of steam, rarely is he knocked off the track.

“Trey just has a unique skill set,” said Grove City coach Sam Mowrey. “You rarely see a kid that big have such quick feet and he finishes his runs.”

Adams is Grove City's finisher.

When the Eagles are ahead, Adams does some of his best work.

He reminds of some of the great bruising backs of all-time, like Mike Alstott and John Riggins — even if he doesn't really know who those guys are.

“Often, early in games, he's getting 4- or 5-yard runs, then in the fourth quarter you see him getting 12-, 15-yard runs. He just wears down teams,” Mowrey said.

Adams has whittled away at teams to the tune of 923 yards rushing on 180 carries. He's also scored 23 touchdowns, including a pair of 1-yard scores in the District 10 5A championship game win over Meadville.

But it was a short run on fourth down in that game that typified Adams' impact.

Adams was hit short of the marker on a fourth-and-1 play with the game tied at 7-7 in the first quarter.

Adams, though, twisted and lunged forward for the first down to keep a drive alive that resulted in a touchdown that sent Grove City on the way to its first district crown since 2011.

“I use my advantage of being a big guy,” Adams said. “I'm definitely not the fastest on the team, but I just try my best to lower my shoulder and get those tough yards. That's what the team needs from me.”

Adams is a grinder on a team full of flash.

“It's definitely fun, getting 3, 4, 5 yards on first down so we can go a little more finesse with (receiver) Logan Lutz and (tight end) Qadir (Muhammad).”

Adams has even drawn the praise of Hollidaysburg coach Homer DeLattre.

Grove City plays DeLattre's Golden Tigers in the first round of the PIAA 5A playoffs Friday night.

“I'm impressed with the way he squares his shoulders and runs through guys,” DeLattre said. “He's always moving forward.”

Adams has played the last two games with a broken knuckle on his right hand.

He suffered the injury in the first game against Meadville in late October, but had a week off before the Eagles' first district playoff game to get used to playing with a bulky cast.

“It wasn't as difficult as it might look,” Adams said. “Passes and pitches obviously give me problems, but I'm managing.”

Adams insisted on playing despite the break.

“He's a tough kid,” Mowrey said. “He didn't want to miss anything and a kid like that is someone the young kids see, they see he's banged up a little bit, but he still wants to do whatever it takes to be out there.”

Adams wasn't sure at first if he would be able to play with the injury.

The concern was the break would get worse while taking the beating an inside runner usually takes.

So far, so good, however.

“I told him before the Fort LeBoeuf game (his first after the injury) that he had to be honest with me,” Mowrey said. “'If you can't go, you have to tell me.' He said he was good and he is.”

And Adams has been a big part of Grove City's resurgence.

During his first two years, the Eagles were 3-17. The last two, Grove City is 21-2 and a district champion.

“The first two years definitely didn't go our way,” Adams said. “Then last year, getting to the championship game and losing. Getting back this year, facing the same team that beat us and winning, that definitely felt good.”