By Danielle King & Chris Parker
It is said that patience is a virtue.
For Strafford running back Ryder Ross, that virtue has paid off in the form of a breakout senior season.
“(Ross was) behind the scenes for three years here behind Silas Morton. It was his turn. He was just as good as the running back last year, but Silas was a senior. Now it is his turn. Being patient and waiting is paying off for Ryder Ross,” Strafford head coach Tim Hester said.
Ross is all over rushing leaderboards for the area and state through seven games. He has 149 carries for 1,501 yards and 22 touchdowns. Against Buffalo he etched his name in the school record book with nine carries for 309 yards and five touchdowns. He has only been held below 194 yards rushing once this season.
This performance has been years in the making sitting behind some talented upperclassmen.
“Kids today think they should start right away as a freshman and sophomore at varsity level. He (Ross) was patient. He never argued or complained about playing time his whole (career). He knew his time would come and he took advantage of it,” Hester said.
Last year, Ross sat behind Silas Morton who had 193 carries for 2,005 yards and 29 touchdowns. Mason Denning and Caleb Wells have also been upperclassmen who provided guidance for Ross throughout his first three years at Strafford.
“Mason was a shifty guy. He taught me how to read the holes. Caleb was a power back showing me how to run people over. Silas was a mix of both of them,” Ross said.
Strafford has big goals in the final weeks of the regular season and postseason behind a big group of seniors, but Hester hopes the younger players are seeing patience pay off for Ross and taking the lesson to heart.
“We are hoping they (younger players) are seeing the leadership skills that he (Ross) is showing his senior year,” Hester said. “Him being patient as a student, which is rarely seen in high school being patient about something, is teaching them if you just wait your turn things will happen for you.”
Ross, for his part, is working to instill the virtue that has served him so well on the future varsity players.
“I try to tell them their time is coming,” Ross said. “Be patient and watch the kids above you because they will teach you a lot.”
Head Coach Tim Hester
Running Back Ryder Ross
