Running for history
ADAMS TWP — As the defending Butler Eagle Scoring Trophy champion, Mars senior fullback Josh Schultheis is sure to put up a fight this fall.
The question remains, who will challenge him?
Schultheis became the third Mars player — joining Paul Ferrese in 2005 and Billy Bair in 2006-07 — to win the trophy when he scored 132 points in the regular season in 2013.
The vast majority of the remaining players in the Top 10 from a year ago have graduated. That includes Grove City's Foster Reznor, who was runner-up with 98 points.
The only holdovers are Seneca Valley quarterback T.J. Holl (third place with 90 points) and Knoch running back Cody Milsom (eighth place with 60 points). Both will figure prominently into their team's offensive plans and could make a run at bringing the trophy to their respective schools.
The chance of becoming just the sixth player to win the Scoring Trophy in back-to-back years isn't the only carrot being dangled in front of Schultheis.
He enters this season 1,102 yards shy of breaking Bair's school record for rushing yards, which stands at 4,702.
“I've talked to Coach (Scott) Heinauer about it and he told me I can't let that stuff fog my mind,” said Schultheis. “If it happens, that's great. But if it doesn't and we still succeed as a team, I'll be happy.”
Schultheis has carried that attitude with him his entire varsity career, which began as a highly-touted freshman in 2011.
When asked if he could possibly be better this season, Schultheis smiled and said, “Let's hope so. I'm more ready for the mental aspect of the game and I think I'm faster this year.”
