It’s no surprise when schools with small rosters resort to having their football players line up on both sides of the ball. That’s certainly true for Maine East, as the Blue Demons have 33 players on their roster.
But in the case of Maine East junior Oneil Isaac, the positions are quite intriguing.
The 6-foot, 175-pound Isaac carries the ball from the halfback position and as a slot back, but sometimes he also lines up at wideout. On the other side of the ball, he’s a defensive end, and he even kicks extra points and short field goals.
Oh, and he’s a first-year varsity player.
“You don’t see too many running backs start as linemen,” first-year Maine East coach Bob Winkel said. “His speed is his biggest attribute for both positions. He can go from first gear to fifth gear real fast.”
When asked about playing so many positions, Isaac said, “I just like being out there playing the game. Playing football. Trying my best no matter what happens.”
The Blue Demons employ Isaac on runs up the middle and on jet sweeps. Defensively, Winkel looks to Isaac to wreak havoc on opposing passers while also shutting off the outside running game.
Isaac scored a touchdown Friday in the Blue Demons’ 50-12 loss at Round Lake. He crossed the goal line on a 5-yard run up the middle after bursting through two tackles near the line of scrimmage. He carried the ball 10 times for 42 yards and caught a 19-yard pass from quarterback Raymond Noffz.
“(Isaac) is one of the hardest-working players on the team,” said Noffz, who scored the Blue Demons’ final touchdown on a 1-yard run. “We like staying after practice together to work on plays.”
On defense, Isaac chipped in with six tackles, including one sack. But it was on the game’s opening kickoff where he showed his athleticism. He raced downfield on a short kickoff and dove for a loose ball, just missing the recovery.
Senior wide receiver Ryan Malin had three catches for 59 yards, including a 40-yard grab.
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Despite the final score, the Blue Demons’ defense managed to register five sacks, with senior defensive tackle Raul Vargas recording two.
Against Fenton in Week 1, Isaac scored his first varsity touchdown on a 7-yard run. He then promptly kicked the extra point.
Winkel said he selected Isaac for extra points and some shorter field goals because he has great timing and he likes the way Isaac comes through the ball. On Wednesdays, the team has an extra-point contest, and Isaac won the competition prior to the season opener.
Isaac finished the first game with 60 yards on 10 carries as he split the running back duties with fellow junior Baltazar Cabrales
Isaac also was named as one of the captains, which Winkel said speaks a great deal about his character and worth ethic. He lauded Isaac for his offseason lifting and conditioning, showing up every day and “absolutely working his butt off.”
“Being selected to be the captain for the first game was pretty surprising,” a smiling Isaac said. “Everything has been amazing.”
Maine East (0-2) will look for its first win of the season at 7 p.m. Friday against Wheeling (0-2).