By now, everyone knows that St. Paul Central running backs ANDREW LEWIS, MALIK GLASS and GABRIEL WALKER dominated in last week’s Twin Cities 56-6 victory over Minneapolis Washburn.
With that victory, St. Paul Central is getting the respect they deserve.
Sportswriter, critics and fans alike are praising the Minutemen for finishing the regular season 8-0, capturing their third City Conference title and earning the top seed heading into the section playoffs.
Central is just as loaded as they were when they captured back-to-back conference crowns in 1987 and ’88. They have a powerful line, outstanding running backs, dependable receivers, speedy defensive backs and a smart quarterback.
They’re also led by a coaching staff that knows a thing or two about what it means to be Minutemen. Head coach SCOTT HOWELL, assistants DAVE GUBBRUD, DAWAN PROPPS, WARDELL WARREN, RASHEEM SHARPE, WILLIAM BENEKE EAVES, BRIAN MCINTOSH, CARL BROWN and WILL JOHNSON all played for Central. Another assistant, BRUCE BENEKE, coached for years at Jimmy Lee Recreation Center; many of those players went on to play for the Minutemen. Even athletic director NATE GALLOWAY is also a former Central player.
That alone should be enough to earn the respect of every high school sports fan in the state.
Mitchell Palmer McDonald welcomes reader responses to mmcdonald@spokesman-recorder.com.
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