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These star backs have no speed limit


By Sam Upshaw Jr., The Courier-Journal

Like this Porsche, the Louisville area's top four senior running backs all have powerful engines. From left, North Bullitt's Dalton Cissell, Male's Justin Green, St. Xavier's Deuce Finch and Trinity's Tim Phillips use major speed to post major numbers in the rushing game. "I can't remember a group like that," longtime St. Xavier coach Mike Glaser said.


By Sam Upshaw Jr., The Courier-Journal

From left to right, Male's Justin Green is Ohio State-bound, Trinity's Tim Phillips is headed to Central Michigan, St. X's Deuce Finch has a number of suitors and North Bullitt's Dalton Cissell is confident that college recruiters will come calling soon. All four players have a shot to win Mr. Football.

Green, Finch, Phillips, Cissell can all go zero to 40 (yards) in under 4.5 seconds
By Jason Frakes ? jfrakes@courier-journal.com ? August 28, 2008

Forget about speed killing. This season it's going to be absolutely thrilling for Louisville-area high school football fans.

Speedy running backs are nothing new to the area, but the senior quartet of Male's Justin Green, St. Xavier's Deuce Finch, Trinity's Tim Phillips and North Bullitt's Dalton Cissell might be the fastest and most talented group in recent memory.

The track star

You might know Green (5 feet 10, 180 pounds) more for his exploits on the track than the football field. He won four titles -- athletes are limited to four events -- at the Class 3-A championships in June, taking the 100-, 200- and 400-meter crowns and anchoring Male's victorious 1,600 relay team.

Bob Redman has coached his share of stars in 17 seasons as Male's football coach and said Green ranks high.

"He's right up there with the best of them, and he has more speed than all of them," Redman said. "He's the fastest kid I've ever coached. ? If we get him one-on-one in open space, he has a chance to score. He'll have the ball in his hands a lot."

Green did not play football as a sophomore while recovering from a head injury he suffered during a freshman game. But he came back strong last season, rushing for 1,648 yards and 29 touchdowns while helping the Bulldogs go 10-3.

He has committed to Ohio State, where he's expected to play cornerback. Redman has moved Green to linebacker this season because of his physical nature.

"That's one thing people don't really understand about Justin: He's one of the biggest hitters I've had," Redman said. "He'll flat put it on you."

Green said he likes the move.

"It's a lot more tiring chasing people around the field (as a defensive back)," he said. "I get to be caught up in the mess now."

Still, Green knows the Bulldogs will need him most as a scoring threat out of the backfield.

"I'm kind of an undersized running back, but I'm a physical back," he said. "I like to be physical and don't shy away from contact. Then I try to use my speed to get me where I'm going."

These star backs have no speed limit | courier-journal | The Courier-Journal