Section Sports - Zier and Seale lighting it up

October 24, 2009

Kevin Scarpati
Section Sports Staff Writer

With two running backs who rushed for over 1,300 yards last season and averaged 8 yards per carry returning in 2009, you'd think there wouldn't be enough footballs to go around this season.

That hasn't been the case for the Escondido football team.

"If I was on a team with two guys like that I'd be saying, 'Give me the flipping ball, coach!' but that hasn't been the case at all," head coach Paul Gomes said seniors Ricky Seale and Tim Zier, San Diego's most feared running back tandem.

"Neither of them is jealous about the other."

Zier lines up right in front of Seale in the Cougar's I-formation on most plays, either taking the quick handoff or blocking for the county's most prolific runner. Through six games this season, Seale has rushed for 1,133 yards and 17 touchdowns, and Gomes said the runner has done it with class.

"Ricky Seale is about the most humble kid you'll ever meet," Gomes said. "He runs 40 yards in practice on every play without stopping because he's trained to break 40 yards each play."

Gomes likes to point to a game last season to drive his point home. Against Torrey Pines, Seale rushed for 311 yards and 5 scores but was upset with himself after the game. When Gomes confronted Seale about what was bothering him Seale responded that he was upset because he had missed two blocks in the game.

"He's just a coach on the field- he takes pride in making his blocks," Gomes said of Seale.

Seale is sorting through several offers from Pac-10 schools, with Stanford and California being high on the 5-foot-10, 190 pound senior's list.

"It's a fact that after football you need to get a job and start a life. Stanford can help me get a great job, the football team is just an added bonus," Seale said. "Cal's a lot of the same thing. We'll see though. I'm waiting to see what the other Pac-10 schools do. I'm not going to make a decision until after the season."

The decision process has already been played out for Zier, who has committed to SDSU to play baseball for Tony Gwynn and the Aztecs. While Zier admits the SDSU football coaches would love to have him, he also said that "baseball was my first love. I didn't even start playing football until high school." Zier hasn't ruled out the possibility of playing both sports for the Aztecs.

"I don't have to play running back at the next level," Zier said. "I see myself as sort of a Wes Welker-type. I'm quick in short distances."

Zier, who would be starting on just about any other San Diego Section team at tailback, has a big supporter in Gomes.

"Last season Ricky rushed for 2,700 yards; Timmy would have rushed for 2,500 if he was the lead back," Gomes said. "But we have both so we have to find a way to get both involved. But that's the thing with our offense- we feel we have four plays to get 10 yards. We're not afraid to run the ball on every play."

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