How Kapaun’s Omari Elias became the No. 1 running back in Kansas high school football
After setting the City League single-season rushing record last year as a sophomore, Kapaun Mt. Carmel running back Omari Elias was determined to have an even better follow-up season.
But was it realistic to expect that considering the Crusaders graduated all five starters on their offensive line?
“It was hard not to have that question in your head,” Elias admitted thinking before the start of the season.
As Kapaun brought along five first-year starters on the line, including four juniors, Elias formed a special bond with his blockers up front. The offensive lineman respected how physical of a runner Elias was, which motivated them to block because they knew any single run could go for a touchdown.
“We had to build up our chemistry because back then it was lacking and we could tell,” Kapaun junior guard Henry Orth said. “Now when you watch us, we have so much more chemistry and we’re way more fluid now.”
Elias helped instill confidence in the first-year starters and, in turn, the offensive line helped pave the way for Elias to have an even better junior season. After nine games, Elias leads the state with 2,163 rushing yards yards (8.3 yards per carry) and 25 touchdowns and already produced three 300-yard rushing games this season.
He will have a chance to top last season’s record (2,258 rushing yards in 12 games) on Friday when Kapaun (5-4) goes on the road to face No. 1-ranked Maize (9-0) in the second round of the Class 5A playoffs.
“It’s so impressive because he’s done this with five new offensive lineman,” Kapaun coach Weston Schartz said. “They know they don’t have to be perfect. They can miss an assignment here or there and Omari is going to just run the guy over and nobody notices. And a big part of it is that he’s so likable. There are some really good running backs in the area and they act the part and they let you know it. Omari is a humble kid. He just gets the job done.”
There were certainly growing pains early in the season, most notably a 30-20 loss to East in Week 2 followed by a 41-14 drubbing at the hands of Northwest.
Since then, the offensive line of Paul Bloomer, Orth, John Knapp, William Schlotterback and Aydan Spiers, plus the blocking of senior tight end Will Anciaux, has developed into a strength for the team.
Kapaun lost two more games, but they came by a combined seven points to two of the better teams in the state in Bishop Carroll and St. James Academy. With a crack at maybe the best team in Kansas high school football on Friday, the Crusaders are looking forward to showing what they can do up front against Maize.
“We know we can run the ball and it’s looking like it’s going to be rainy (on Friday), so that should give us an advantage because (Maize) is mostly a throwing offense,” Orth said. “We feel like we can control the ball and the clock because we’re used to running all the time.”
Elias started his playoff push last week with a school-record 387 rushing yards in a 31-17 win at Goddard. Schartz, who has coached in the City League for decades, said without question that Elias is the best running back he’s ever coached.
“He’s doing this with eight, nine, 10 guys in the box,” Schartz said. “He’s just relentless. He doesn’t run out of bounds. He looks for contact. He really is a defensive player playing running back. He’s a very, very tough kid and the more carries you give him, the stronger he gets. He just beats you down over the course of a game.”
The physicality of running the ball has always been the aspect of the game Elias has enjoyed the most.
“The biggest thing for me is that I just run without fear,” Elias said. “I run with the faith in myself that I’m going to be the tougher guy in that moment, whether that’s true or not, I believe in myself. That’s how I run without fear.”
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