Scoring in Style Schultheis brings Eagle trophy back to Planets
ADAMS TWP — The Butler Eagle Scoring Trophy came back to Mars in style.
Junior fullback Josh Schultheis scored 22 regular-season touchdowns, giving him 132 points in 2013. The total included 21 rushing touchdowns and one score on an interception return.
He joins Paul Ferrese (2005) and Bill Bair (2006-07) as the only Planets to earn the hardware.
“It’s awesome, getting the chance to win this trophy,” Schultheis said. “My coaches and the offensive line had a lot to do with it.
“Before the season, a lot of people thought we’d have trouble rebuilding our line (with only one starter back),” he added. “But the guys up front stepped up. They were a huge factor.”
Schultheis put in extra work in the offseason, hoping it would pay off come Friday nights. Including Mars’ two WPIAL playoff games, he totaled 1,645 yards and a 7.7 yards-per-carry average.
“I felt like I was stronger and quicker this year,” he said. “Adding more speed helps a great deal on the football field, whether it’s in between the tackles or on the outside.”
Even before this season, Schultheis had already joined a long list of Mars running backs to put up impressive numbers, including Chuck Green, Brad Mueller, Austin Miele, Ferrese and Bair, among others. They all flourished within Mars’ Wing-T offense.
“Our kids believe in the system and they understand it, which is run from the seventh grade on up,” said Planets’ veteran coach Scott Heinauer. “That’s had a lot to do with our success, but we’ve also had great athletes. If you’re going to give the ball to a kid 30 times a game, he has to be a great player.”
The number of high school teams that rely heavily on the run is much less than when Heinauer took over as head coach at Mars in 1992.
“In this day and age, people are pass-happy,” he said. “They come out with these five-wide sets. We don’t do that.”
Schultheis will begin the 2014 season just a few hundred yards shy of 4,000 for his career. Catching Bair for the school’s all-time rushing record (4,702) is certainly within his reach.
As good as he is, Schultheis is also very humble. He speaks of the great backs in Mars history as if he is not one of them himself. Of course, he belongs in that conversation, no matter what 2014 brings.
“A lot of people recognize the names of those guys,” said Schultheis. “I still have a year left, so I’m not really thinking about that. But once I graduate, it’s something I’ll definitely be proud of.”
