Meadowdale running back inspires his linemen with apt phrase

Published 4:45 pm Monday, October 6, 2008

It’s impressive enough when a football player rushes for five touchdowns and 260-plus yards in a game, like Meadowdale running back Naji Moore-Taylor did Friday.

But Moore-Taylor also had one of the best quotes of the fall after the Mavericks beat Glacier Peak 34-21. It appeared in a story in Saturday’s paper. Let’s enjoy it one more time.

Describing his offensive mindset to Meadowdale linemen, Moore-Taylor said: “I’ve got the syrup if you’ve got the pancakes.”

Moore-Taylor did everything right all night, even in post-game interviews. The junior repeatedly ran past and through Glacier Peak defenders, impressing Grizzlies head coach Rory Rosenbach.

“He’s a player. He’s more physical than I thought he was going to be,” Rosenbach said.

In preparation for the Meadowdale game, Rosenbach watched film of Moore-Taylor’s Sept. 26 performance against Kamiak. The coach noticed the back’s “wiggle and speed” but not the steamroller power Moore-Taylor occasionally used Friday.

“A great individual effort. That was impressive,” Rosenbach said. “I would say he was the best individual player we’ve seen this season.”

Moore-Taylor was suspended for Meadowdale’s first three games this season for an athletic-code violation that occurred last school year. He practiced with the team and waited for his chance to return.

“It gave me time to think about what I did and it gave me fresh legs,” Moore-Taylor said.

Asked about the athletic-code violation, he wasn’t specific but said it was “something that happened last fall: I made a mistake but I learned from it. My team really (rallied) around me and helped me through it.”

Front-loaded schedule

The Glacier Peak football team is 1-4 but the losses were against teams that have a combined record of 15-4: Marysville-Pichuck (5-0), Lake Stevens (4-1), Meadowdale (3-1) and Arlington (3-2). Arlington’s defeats were versus M-P and Lake Stevens. This week Glacier Peak, seeking its first Wesco 3A win, plays host to winless Lynnwood (0-5).

Sweet sounds of victory

Shorecrest senior Joe McConaughy won the boys cross country race Sept. 25 at Hamlin Park in Shoreline. At the finish line one of his classmates blasted a tune on the bagpipes. It’s a tradition at meets hosted by Shorecrest, whose athletes are known as the Scots and the Highlanders. “Oh man. That’s just awesome,” McConaughy said of the music. “You can hear it at the top of the (final) hill. You hear it and it pumps you up and you just want to run forever.”

All-around pool power

Amber McDermott, who swims at Jackson High, has achieved 4A state qualifying times in all eight individual events this season, Jackson coach Drew Whorley said. McDermott was picked to represent the USA Swimming Girls National Junior Team this winter in Guam, said Whorley.

Mike Cane, Herald Writer