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Friday,
November 22, 2002
BHS ready to
raid semifinals
Senior a
force for Raiders with or without ball
By Randy Reinhardt
Pantagraph staff
BLOOMINGTON -- Through a dedication to
weightlifting, Bloomington High School senior Damon Mehlberg has built a
powerful body.
In the process, and through a dedication to his sport,
Mehlberg also has constructed a top-notch football player.
"He's a force to be dealt with," BHS coach
Rigo Schmelzer said of his fullback/defensive end. "In my
estimation, he's one of a couple of players we have who could play for
anybody in the state. It would be difficult to beat him out."
That's exactly what Mehlberg had in mind.
"It's the determination I have," said the
5-foot-10, 215-pounder. "I want to be the best in everything I do:
weightlifting, running and running people over blocking. I try to do the
best I can. I think I got that from my parents (Steve and Debbie) and my
coaches."
When not blocking for tailback James Wade and quarterback
Andre Brown, Mehlberg has rushed for 702 yards and 13 touchdowns to help
undefeated BHS into the Class 6A state semifinals Saturday against
Thornton Fractional South in a 2 p.m. game at Fred Carlton Field.
"I feel like every time I get the ball I don't
think anybody can touch me," said Mehlberg, who averages 6.9 yards
per carry. "One person can't tackle me, that's what I figure. Once I
get going, I can't be stopped."
Mehlberg certainly enjoys carrying the football. But
it's blocking that lights him up, especially when he turns the lights out
on a would-be tackler.
"Blocking is part of the fun," he said.
"Slamming guys to the ground is what I like to do. It's one person,
either him or me. I thinking I'm going to put him in the dirt and not
me."
"He's fast enough we could put him at
tailback," Schmelzer said. "He has some shiftiness and works at
finding holes. He's pretty much a north-south runner. A lot of people
will be real glad to see him out of the Big 12 (Conference). In three
years he's done a lot of damage."
As one of three Raiders playing two ways, Mehlberg has
23 tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery at defensive end. He has played
linebacker and nose guard in the past.
"He's doing a great job for us at end,"
Schmelzer said. "What Damon brings to the field is a real physical,
aggressive nature. He makes some mistakes now and then, but he's strong
and fast enough that he makes up for it."
While Mehlberg was able to carve a full half-second
off his 40-yard dash time through work at the Sports Enhancement Center
in Bloomington, his weightlifting prowess could be considered hereditary.
"I've been weightlifting ever since I was 10 or
11," Mehlberg said. "I try to take a part of him. Weight lift
and get big. Try and compete like him. I'm always in the weight room.
Keep at it. All you've got to do is keep at it."
Mehlberg handles 350 pounds in the bench press and his
combined total of 1,150 pounds in the bench, power clean and squat is the
best ever for a BHS football player, said Schmelzer.
According to Mehlberg, the benefits of weightlifting
for football players are obvious.
"You can't get anywhere without being strong.
It's all about speed and strength. And if you've got the strength then
you can build up on speed," he said. "You've got to go in and
work over the summer and keep your mindset on it. You just can't wish on
a star to be big."
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