PRAIRIE GROVE — Danny Abshier has seen his share of great running backs during his 17 years as Prairie Grove head coach.
Among them were Colt Bartholomew, whose 1,000-yard rushing season helped Prairie Grove capture a conference championship with a 10-0 regular season record in 2001.
There were also 1,000-yard rushers Anthony Disney and Cody Slaughter. Eric Clement was the most prolific, rushing for a school single-season record of more than 1,900 yards in 2006.
While Abshier said it's folly to compare running backs from different teams, he has a particular regard for Thomas Soehner. He said the senior halfback merits consideration as one of Prairie Grove's greatest running backs.
"He ranks right up there," Abshier said. "It's hard to compare all of those guys, but he's right up there with them."
Soehner made his case last Friday against Huntsville. With his team winless in its first three games, Soehner authored a career performance in the 1-4A Conference opener. His 252 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 23 carries keyed the Tigers' 49-30 win.
It marked the fourth-consecutive week that Soehner increased his rushing output.He ran for 84 yards in Week 1 against Lavaca,128 against Cassville, Mo., and 176 against West Fork. Boasting a 7.2-yard-percarry average, Soehner has 610 yards and seven touchdowns ahead of Friday night's rivalry game at Farmington.
Loath to extol his own exploits, the self-effacing Soehner credited theTiger (1-3, 1-0) offensive line for his steady improvement.
"As the season's went along, we've started to figure it out," Soehner said. "The offensive line opened up some big holes that allowed me to find open space. They made my job pretty easy.
"... We made some minor changes on the line. We moved Spencer Brown to guard. He's a big boy, but he's a great pulling guard, and tight ends like Nick Perez blockedwell. I think it was the first game where we put it all together."
A crowded backfield obscured Soehner's talents during his sophomore season, when he ran for more than 200 yards in limited action. This year he's on schedule to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark for a second-straight season.
"I don't think we've ever had anyone do that," Abshier said.
Soehner rushed for more than 1,100 yards and scored 14 touchdowns lastyear, including a 148-yard, three-touchdown performance in Prairie Grove's first-round playoff loss at Heber Springs.
He also showed resiliency in spades. Despite cramps that slowed him in the second half, Soehner didn't succumb to the discomfort. Save several instances where teammates stretched out his knotted leg on the sideline, Soehner never left the field.
"It was one of the most exciting games I've playedin high school," Soehner said of the 33-30 defeat. "As a team, it was also one of our better games."
His breakout campaign of 2008 increased his visibility, making Soehner the face of Tiger football. The elevated profile led to feature stories in numerous publications, but Soehner said his teammates don't begrudge the attention he's received.
"They're pretty happy for me," he said. "We really enjoy each other's success."
Abshier said he's timed Soehner at 4.59 seconds in the 40-yard dash, but speed is only one of his many assets. Soehner also leads the team in receiving (five catches for 52 yards) and was tied for the team lead in tackles through the first three games.
"He's strong, has good balance and sees the field well," Abshier said. "He's really a complete back. He's big enough (6-1, 195) to run right at you, but he's also elusive enough to make moves."
Sports, Pages 8, 7 on 09/30/2009