Injury never slowed Del Sol’s power rusher

By Christopher Drexel

Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2008 | 8 p.m.

Three games into the season, Derek Eamon never imagined he'd be in the position he is now.

The Del Sol running back missed the initial two games of his senior year with an Achilles injury, then only carried the ball twice for 10 yards in the Dragons' third contest.

After that, Eamon blew up.

The 5 foot, 11 inch, 225 pounder finished with 1,778 yards and 24 touchdowns on 201 carries and is drawing attention from UNLV, Hawaii and Boise State.

For his contributions to Del Sol's downhill offense, Eamon has been selected as the Home News' Offensive Player of the Year. The publication has picked an All-Henderson Football Team the past nine years, including selecting offensive and defensive players of the year.

"One of the reporters looked at me after our first game, and saw me injured and said it looks like I have junior college written all over me," Eamon said. "That motivated me to try as hard as I could the rest of the year."

He rushed for 285 yards and five touchdowns during a 72-47 win against Rancho in the Sunrise Regional quarterfinal. Then, during a 42-27 win against Basic the following week, Eamon rushed for 412 yards and another five scores.

"I never thought that would happen," Eamon said. "After the game I was in awe because I didn't think I could do something like that."

Eamon also doubled as Del Sol's middle linebacker and led the team in tackles. Dragons coach Preston Goroff said Eamon could play on offense or defense at the next level.

"He's patient, reads his blocks well and can turn it on when he has to with speed," Goroff said. "He has a bit of everything. He is also an extremely powerful back. A lot of people had a hard time tackling him."

Eamon was no stranger to coming back from injuries. In the summer between his sophomore and junior year, Eamon suffered a back injury during a football camp at Boise State. A player for Coronado at the time, Eamon had to sit out the initial five games of his junior season.

Eamon came into his own after transferring to Del Sol for his senior season.

"That was the best decision I ever made in my life," he said. "Everything I expected to get out of Del Sol, I got out of it. I love to run straight and that's what Del Sol's offense is designed to do. I am very excited about my senior season, very satisfied with it."

Goroff said playing in just five games his junior year and missing the beginning of his senior year set Eamon back with recruiting. The coach added whoever lands Eamon would get a special player.

"He's a smart kid and a student of the game," Goroff said.

Christopher Drexel can be reached at 990-8929 or [email protected].