CHERRY TWP — Need a big play? Call James Shope.

Need a tough yard? Call him again.

The Moniteau football team has been doing so for three years and it hasn't worked out so badly. The Warriors are 21-11 and headed to the District 9 Class AA playoffs for a third consecutive year.

Shope, a 5-foot-9, 168-pound tailback, has gained 3,327 yards and scored 48 touchdowns — both school records — in his career. He's surpassed the 1,000-yard rushing mark each year as well.

"This has been like a dream come true for me," Shope said. "When I was a sophomore, I wasn't even sure I was gonna play."

Shope entered that season third on the depth chart behind Clayton Drnek and Dakota Campbell. Both incurred injuries and Shope entered a game.

He hasn't come out since, missing only one of 32 games.

"He's been durable and that says a lot, given his physical running style," Moniteau coach Jeff Campbell said. "Sure, he's fast — get him outside and he's gone.

"But he also pounds the middle. I've seen plenty of newspaper pictures with James lunging forward with three or four tacklers on his back."

When the Warriors need a yard or two inside, Shope can move to fullback and play the role.

"He picked up a big first down for us against Karns City from the fullback spot and everyone thought that was David Campbell," offensive coordinator Randy Armagost said. "The uniforms were muddy, you couldn't see the numbers. ... That was James Shope."

It's no insult to call Shope a mudder. He's produced 15 100-yard games against 10 different schools and a few of those were on dreadful playing surfaces.

Moniteau's last two games were played in mud. Shope had 33 carries for 176 yards and three touchdowns at Brookville, and 30 carries for 141 yards and two scores at home against Karns City.

Those two wins put the Warriors in the playoffs.

"I've always felt it's to the runner's advantage to play in the mud," Shope said. "You're already moving and the defender isn't. He has to react to where you're going and he's going to slip and slide when he does."

Shape is attracting plenty of college interest. Slippery Rock, Clarion, Seton Hill, Geneva and Robert Morris are among the schools that have contacted him.

"His size hurts him a little bit, but this kid has the speed and toughness to continue being a productive back at the next level," Campbell said.

Shape is quick to credit the offensive line for much of his success.

"Those guys are the best line in the league," he insisted. "Jacob Boy, our left tackle, has been blocking for me since eighth grade. Bobby Moore is like a big brother to me.

"Jordan Smith, Mark Zanella, Mike George — I could go on and on. Those guys are awesome. I'm nothing without them. Our offense is nothing without them."

Shope enters Week 9 with a 14-point lead over Austin Miele of Mars in the race for the Butler Eagle Scoring Trophy. No Moniteau player has won the award.

"Our biggest challenge calling plays is finding ways not to put the ball in Shope's hands," Aarmagost said. "He'd love to carry it 40 times a game.

"But our biggest success as an offense is when he carries it 18 to 20 times a game. Defenses key on him and that sets up a lot of other stuff."

So Shope's carries are limited — unless it's muddy.

"Then there's no one like him," Campbell said, smiling.

Moniteau running back James Shope has put together 15 100-yard rushing games during his high school career:<B>2007Opponent Att. Yards</B>A-C Valley 11 150Union 10 181Keystone 28 205Western Beaver 21 125<B>2008Opponent Att. Yards</B>Clarion 11 101Keystone 9 163Karns City 20 156Redbank Valley 23 177Riverside 16 103Brookville 10 230<B>2009Opponents Att. Yards</B>Clarion- Limestone 22 155A-C Valley 6 123Union 15 172Brookville 33 176Karns City 30 141