(Photo by Kyle Yates www.facebook.com/YatesPhoto)
NO. 9 — AUSTIN NEWCOMB BECOMES D9’S ALL-TIME SINGLE-SEASON RUSHING LEADER
Every once in a while a player comes along so good that it really doesn’t matter what the other team does to stop said player.
Clarion-Limestone’s Austin Newcomb was one such player during the 2018 football season.
Despite consistently facing defenses that stacked to stop the run, Newcomb couldn’t be stopped.
In fact, the Lions junior became the most prolific single-season rusher in District 9 history rushing for a D9 record 2,627 yards on 254 carries, an average of 10.3 yards per carry. He also ran for 35 touchdowns. If that wasn’t enough, Newcomb also caught 25 passes for 572 yards and five touchdowns and scored three additional touchdowns giving him 43 total touchdowns, two shy of the D9 record of 45 set by Clearfield’s Dave Richards in 2002. All this despite the running back missing the equivalency of one full game.
On the year, Newcomb scored 58.7 percent (298 out of 508) of C-L’s total points.
A force on defense as well, Newcomb averaged 7.1 tackles per game from his safety position and intercepted three passes while also causing two fumbles, recovering a fumble, blocking a field goal and breaking up five passes.
Rushing for at least 200 yards on six occasions while breaking 300 twice including a school-record 416 in a win over Curwensville, Newcomb was named the Jim Kelly Award Winner as the District 9 MVP while also earning Pennsylvania Sports Writers All-State honors and Pennsylvania Football News first-team All-State honors.
TOP 15 EYT MEDIA SPORTS STORIES FROM 2018-19 SCHOOL YEAR
9. Newcomb Sets D9’s Single-Season Rushing Mark
10. Franklin Baseball Wins D10 Title, Advances to PIAA Semifinals
11. Young Clearfield Softball Team Reaches PIAA Semifinals
12. Cranberry Softball Goes to PIAA Semifinals
13. A-C Valley Girls’ Basketball Wins KSAC Title; Advances to PIAA Quarterfinals
14. Oil City’s Emma Stevenson wins 1,600-meter run at District 10 championship
15. Clarion Volleyball Wins D9 Title Advances to PIAA Quarterfinals