Undersized Hill gets most out of his carries in Warwick's backfield

NEWPORT NEWS - Warwick's roster lists running back/linebacker Courtney Hill at 5-foot-8 and 166 pounds. That's not quite right.

"More like 5-8, 172," Hill said one afternoon in the school cafeteria. "I'm probably one of the smallest running backs in the Peninsula District. But if you don't have heart, this game is not for you.

"I'm not scared out there, and I'm not hiding from anybody. I live, sleep and breathe football. It's all about heart."

Hill, the Raiders' leading rusher despite only 41 carries, has needed it. As a junior last season, his season was interrupted by a broken fibula. It was expected to end his season, but he missed only three weeks.

This year, after running for a career-best 168 yards in the opener against Menchville, he aggravated the same injury. Hill missed two games completely and only played defense in a third. But he's back, and he's making a difference.

Consider the numbers: In the three games this season in which Hill has played running back, the Raiders are 3-0. In the three games he either missed or played only defense, they're 0-3.

Warwick was riding a three-game losing streak going into an Oct. 1 game against Hampton, and Hill hadn't carried the ball in four weeks. But his 11-carry, 73-yard night helped the Raiders beat the Crabbers for the first time since 1965.

With Hill at tailback, Warwick is averaging 251 rushing yards a game. Without Hill at tailback, the Raiders are averaging 178 a game.

"He makes a big difference," Warwick coach Juan Jackson said. "Courtney's a hard worker and he brings a lot to the table. He's a very versatile athlete. He's quick and has good agility."

Phoebus coach Stan Sexton, who coached Hill at Warwick in 2007 and '08, also saw that.

"We felt he had the potential to be a 1,000-yard rusher for us," Sexton said. "Then he broke his leg, and he missed pretty much the rest of the season on the offensive side of the ball. But he's a hard runner. He's really strong."

No, he isn't big. The top two rushers in the Peninsula District are Phoebus' Colby Goodwyn (6-0, 195) and Menchville's Clifton Richardson (6-1, 200). Kecoughtan has Melkim Reaves (6-2, 200) and Heritage has Terrance Malone (5-11, 210).

Still, Hill does his job. If you figured his per-game rushing averaged based on games he actually played running back, it would be 114.7 — third behind Goodwyn and Richardson. He's averaging 8.4 yards per attempt, more than any other starting back in the PD except Woodside's Jarrell Cooper (9.5).

Hill says his size actually gives him an advantage. He's able to hide behind his linemen and go undetected as he looks for an opening.

"He follows the lead blocker well," Jackson said. "He can give you the hip and take it away. He's just very deceptive, a very deceptive runner."

When he's healthy, Hill's been among the better backs in the district. He showed that on the third play of the season, when he went 55 yards for a touchdown against Menchville. He added scoring runs of 15 and 13 yards for the first three-touchdown game of his career.

Then came the leg injury, which caused him to miss the next two games and only play defense (outside linebacker) for one more. He returned to the backfield against Hampton and scored on a 53-yard touchdown run midway through the first quarter. He followed that with a 103-yard day against Gloucester.

Courtney Hill officially has found his rhythm.

"When you're out for two weeks, you kind of lose your momentum," he said. "When I came back to practice, it was hard. ... I'm just playing every game like it's my last. It is my last season. Every moment I get with my teammates and my coaches, I enjoy it. Because there's nothing like high school football."