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He's on the fast track

Crenshaw High School fullback Hayes Pullard keeps Dorsey defensive back Charles Garrett at arms length. Crenshaw blanked the Dons, 34-0 Thursday night.

By RON GUILD, Sports Editor 06.NOV.08

That blinding speed is the first thing that makes Crenshaw High School’s DeAnthony Thomas stand out.

So, where does it come from?

He points to his grandfather, Rayfield Dupree, who competed in the 1960 Rome Olympic Games and got him involved in track and field at a young age with the Team World track club he founded.

“He’s the one who talked me into running track,” Thomas said.

It helped him qualify for the state track and field championships in the 100 and 200 meters last spring as a freshman.

And, it is now serving him well on the football field as a sophomore running back/defensive back/kick returner for the Coliseum League-leading Cougars.

Thomas added to what has been a sensational first year with the varsity with some more big plays in last Thursday’s 34-0 win over Dorsey at Rancho Cienega Park.

He began the night by returning the opening kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown, set up the team’s second score — a one-yard run by Hayes Pullard — with a 22-yard run to the one, and returned an interception 32 yards for a TD, all before halftime. He had another touchdown on an interception return wiped out by a roughing-the-passer penalty.

But this is just something he’s been doing since opening night when he went 79 yards with a screen pass for a score against Lakewood. He had a 77-yard scoring run against Locke, and 61-, 44-, 39-yard runs against Culver City.

Football is his first love, though track has its place in his life.

“It helps me stay in condition for football,” he said. “It helps with my strength and power.”

Crenshaw (5-2, 3-0) had other contributors against Dorsey (6-2, 2-1).

Pullard had 73 yards rushing on 10 carries and made some key tackles from his spot at linebacker. Geno Hall had a 36-yard punt return and Noel Grigsby intercepted a Freddy Lovo-pass. Backup fullback Geoffrey Norwood scored on a pair of short runs in the second half.

Dorsey coach Paul Knox knew he had little margin for error going into the showdown for first place.

“We knew we had to try and eliminate the big play, then they get the kickoff return right at the start,” he said. “Once they got out to that lead, it was rough for us. We just made too many mistakes for a team as good as they were.”

The Dons lost more than a game.

Tight end/punter Malcolm Chapman suffered a head injury that left him unconscious for a while and led to paramedics taking him to a local hospital. Knox said early reports on his condition were positive.

They also lost Lovo (hand) and tailback Robby Gasaway (ankle) to injuries, further hamstringing an offense that wound up with 117 yards total.

Thomas, looking ahead to the final two weeks of the regular season, then beyond, said, “We want to get to the Coliseum. It’s going to take hard work, but we’re taking it one game at a time.”