Wilkins shatters Neuqua rushing record

Senior tailback finishes with 346 yards in Wildcats' win

His longest run of the night wasn’t even close to making the Neuqua Valley top 10.

His 33 carries were a handful off the record. And his three touchdowns were only halfway toward breaking the single-game mark as well.

Yet when Anton Wilkins stood on the Wildcats’ field following Friday’s 56-39 win over Larkin, his smile was enough to show something special had just taken place. His eyes held a slightly different take, one of bewilderment as if he was thinking what just happened couldn’t have just happened.

But it did.

It may take a couple days for the reality to set in, but Wilkins’ performance will be long remembered. The senior tailback ran for a school-record 346 yards on 33 carries with three touchdowns, helping put some much-needed smiles on all the Wildcats (2-3, 2-1 Upstate Eight Conference).

“I had no idea – I was just focusing on the win,” Wilkins said of the record. “The past couple weeks we’ve been struggling a little bit. I’m really glad we came out on top. I credit the coaches, the offensive line and all my teammates. They had the faith in me. They kept telling me, ‘Keep your head up. We’re going to keep on going, keep on going.’”

Wilkins’ numbers were sick. He had three carries of more than 40 yards, including a 49-yard touchdown run to put Neuqua ahead for good midway through the first quarter. He had another run of 38 yards and finished with seven of 20 or more.

Wilkins had 197 yards in the second half – that alone was 11 yards better than his previous career best. He broke the previous school record of 252 yards by Bryen Johnson with more than five minutes left – in the third quarter. He ran for 107 yards on his first five carries of the second half, which was 33 more yards than he had in last week’s 10-6 loss to Waubonsie Valley.

By the time Wilkins scored from the 14 with less than one minute remaining in the game, Wilkins had obliterated Johnson’s mark.

“We knew maybe that potential existed,” Neuqua coach Bryan Wells said of Wilkins’ effort. “As good as Larkin is on offense, they won’t get after you as well on defense. You still have to go out and execute the way he did.”

Wells wasn’t kidding about the Royals offense – dubbed Air Royale. Senior quarterback Cam Kinley put up some sick numbers of his own, throwing for 405 yards and five touchdowns, including an 80-yarder to Jake Kane on the game’s second play.

Kane finished with six catches for 148 yards and three touchdowns, while Nick Bee caught nine passes for 170 yards. The problem for Larkin (2-3, 2-1) was that it had no answers on defense.

Wilkins, who tied a school record with five touchdowns against the Royals last season, again spearheaded Neuqua’s attack. But he wasn’t alone. Quarterback Alex Lincoln threw for only 49 yards, but three of his five completions were for touchdowns. J.J. DeHaan scored twice on reverses, and Conner Yearian had a 30-yard touchdown catch on Neuqua’s first drive. Regi Miskel and Tim Smith also had scoring receptions.

Neuqua, which has won its last 15 home UEC games, led 35-19 in the second quarter but saw its lead shrink to 35-33 early in the third. Soon after, Wilkins scored on a 20-yard run and DeHaan scored his second touchdown to give the Wildcats some comfort – or maybe not.

“I don’t think I’m relieved yet,” Wells said. “I’m still worried they might snap the ball again. I keep looking to make sure the scoreboard’s off.”

Contact Paul LaTour at platour@scn1.com or 630-416-5205.