Doubly dominant
GROVE CITY — On another team, perhaps Wes Phipps would be the center of the offense.
Perhaps the 5-foot-9, 180-pound senior battering ram for the Grove City High football team would get more than 20 carries to showcase his power and speed.
But Phipps plays for the Eagles, a team loaded with talent in the backfield. He’s lucky to get 10 carries a game, but certainly makes the most of them.
And he’s fine with that.
“I think it starts young,” says Phipps, who speaks thoughtfully and confidently. “We have a good youth program which does a good job coaching us and teaching us to play the right way, not just for ourselves, not just for stats, but for the team.”
Despite getting only 96 carries in the regular season, Phipps ended up with 24 touchdowns — and the Butler Eagle Scoring Trophy for the second consecutive season.
“I think what it means to win it again this year is that we’re being consistent and what we are doing is working,” Phipps said. “Everyone is giving good effort.”
Phipps, who is heading to Penn State next year to wrestle, averaged 11 yards per carry this season on a team that spread the ball around.
Phipps found himself blocking more than carrying the football.
But that’s always been the way at Grove City under head coach Jeff Bell.
“He probably could have had a lot more (touchdowns),” Bell said. “We have could have given him the ball 200 times this year and he would have had 2,000 yards and probably twice as many touchdowns. There were games he only got six carries, but that didn’t affect his play on either side of the ball. Some kids, that would bother them. But not Wes.”
In fact, Wes said the trophy belongs more to his teammates than to himself.
Last year, he chose to take his scoring trophy picture with his offensive linemen.
He heaped the praise on them again after winning the trophy this season.
“I owe a huge amount to them,” Phipps said. “Words can’t even describe it. We get the huge stats, but the line is just huge. They get on people. They move people. It just almost seems too easy because you’re not getting touched until you are five or 10 yards down the field.”
Bell said Phipps’ contribution to the team is much more than TDs, points and tackles on defense.
Phipps has been a captain for the last two seasons.
He runs out onto the practice field, barking encouragement and his teammates stop and listen.
He speaks just as loud with his actions. Phipps never takes a play off, even in practice.
“His work ethic, his practice ethic, I think a lot of the younger kids see that and see what it takes to be a player like that,” Bell said. “He’s a leader. When we need a play, he’s always been able to come through and get it for you. He’s definitely one of the best all-around football players we’ve ever had here.”
