Best Running Backs from the Youngstown (Tri-County Area)

2012 the valley had:
-De’Veon Smith (Sr Howland) Michigan State
-Leshun Daniels (Sr Harding) Iowa
-Devine Redding (Jr Ridge) Indiana
-LJ Scott (So Hubbard) MSU
-Darrin Hall (So Fitch) Pitt
 
Couple guys not mentioned yet:
Delbert Ferguson-Ursuline/Harding
Braylon Heard-Mooney
Kyle & Dan McCarthy-Mooney (QBs but lot of carries)
 
bulldogcountry said:
Couple guys not mentioned yet:
Delbert Ferguson-Ursuline/Harding
Braylon Heard-Mooney
Kyle & Dan McCarthy-Mooney (QBs but lot of carries)
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I stopped my list with Clarrett but to continue and name some of the guys you named:

When Clarrett was a Sr. Delbert Ferguson was a soph.

When Ferguson was a Sr. Nate Burney was a soph.

When Burney was a Sr. Danny McCarthy was a soph.

When McCarthy was a Sr. Braylon Heard was a soph. etc, etc.

As I mentioned before you can do this forever and name almost exclusively D1 backs and future NFL players. I only started with Don Lisbon because his senior season was the 1st year I can remember going to games with my father but you can start with a different year and name several other guys that don't fall into my time frame.



nupanther said:
In the same vein of QBs getting a lot of carries- Sherman Smith
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I listed Mr. Smith, and Julie Livas and Garcia Lane, in parentheses because they were QBs in HS.

Other than Paul Warfield Frank Sinkwich had the most post high school success winning the Heisman Trophy, becoming the overall #1 draft choice by the Lions, leading the league in total offense and punt returns and winning the Carr award which was the forerunner of the NFL MVP award. He is also a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.
 
One name that hasn't been mentioned that I witnessed a couple times in person is Pete Perry from Poland. That kid helped carry them to a state title in 1999. Tough runner.
 
From Days gone by...Mel and Bill Triplett, Girard grads from the late 50's, both went on to excellent NFL careers. Mel was a fullback with frank Gifford at QB when the NY Giants won the NFL title and went on to be selected All Pro.
 
Michael Zordich Jr-Mooney
Angelo Babbaro & Kyle Bana-Canfield (maybe not same caliber as some mentioned but these two were really good and led Canfield to the state title game)
Ed McElroy-Chaney
 
Though not technically from Youngstown or actually even in Ohio but covered by the Youngstown media. Two bonus names are :
Andre Coleman: Hickory/Kansas St/Chargers/Seahawks & Steelers
Mike Archie : Penn St/ Oilers/Titans

Both played in Superbowls and Coleman held the Superbowl record for return yardage and longest kick return for a while. Played with one and against the other and they are two of the best I have ever seen in person along with Clarrett at the high school level.
 
Bigdean1 said:
Ted Bell
Maurice Clarett
Shawn Patton
Akise Teague
L. J. Scott
Fitzgerald Toussaint
Bruce Murphy
Deland McCullough
Walter Reyes
Devion Smith
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# 1,2, and 3 in that order are the best in the area to my estimation. A lot of great ones, but those 3 were the best. The first two are obvious. Watching Patton in HS and at YSU was watching a man amongst boys.
 
Patton graduates in 90. Completely out of football for years (jail). Comes back in 94 to lead YSU to championship and school record in rushing. Really sums up Patton.
 
Many great backs mentioned here. Also, many reaches. Perhaps none greater than Brian Frost. That has to be either him, a family member or a joke.
 
Clarett and Bell also did it against the very best competition the state had to offer. The only time I saw Clarett stymied his senior year was against Elder.
(excluding when McD stopped running him in the second half against St.Ignatius in the playoffs)
 
Only three names belong in this discussion. Sinkwich, Bell, Clarett. Sinkwich was a different era so we know little of him. Bell's injury kept him from everyone knowing who he was around the country. Clarett ruined his own career. Imagine 3 years at OSU. In my mind, Patton is really close. Off the field issues kept him from Big 10 offers and haunted him again at YSU. He was a special talent. The rest belong on the "really good list". There are a few that belong on the good list and several on the family favorite list, lol.
 
The 78' Brookfield State team had a really good RB, Darwin Ulmer. I believe he went to University of Arizona to play but I'm also not sure if he finished his career there. On the team was also Marcus Marek who was a phenomenal FB and LB. Pretty sure he still holds the record for most tackles at thE Ohio State University.
 
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