Humbly running down history

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McAllen etches his name in Woodland football lore

Woodland senior running back Sean McAllen (4) holds school records in ten separate categories and is in the top ten in nine more. –ELIO GUGLIOTTI
Woodland senior running back Sean McAllen (4) holds school records in ten separate categories and is in the top ten in nine more. –ELIO GUGLIOTTI

Anyone who has followed Woodland football the last few seasons more than likely knows the name Sean McAllen.

The senior running back, who is playing for his third head coach in his illustrious high school career, wears number four on his jersey but is number one in almost every offensive category in school history.

McAllen is the all-time leader in rushing yards in a game with 462. He has run for the longest and second longest touchdowns in school history, 99 and 80 yards, respectively.

This season thus far, McAllen has totaled 30 touchdowns, 24 of them on the ground, 2,375 all-purpose yards, and 1,748 yards on the ground, all of which are records.

For his career McAllen has amassed 6,226 total yards, 4,746 on the ground, both are records. He also holds the record for rushing touchdowns (53) and two-point conversions (11).

McAllen is in second place in overall touchdowns (64), overall points (408), and rushing attempts (577), and within striking distance of all three records heading into the Thanksgiving eve game against Seymour.

He has the second longest reception in Woodland history with two separate 88-yarders. He is seventh all-time in return yards and receiving yards, and tenth in receiving touchdowns, as well.

McAllen doesn’t just dominate on offense.

He is sixth all-time in interceptions, of which he has six this season alone, and passes defensed, a stat only kept since 2006. He is tenth all time in solo tackles and has one safety to his credit, as well.

The soft-spoken National Honor Society student is always humble and quick to spread credit around for his accomplishments and to take blame for any mishap. Even with all of the individual success, the team doing well is priority number one for McAllen.

“It feels really great for me but, I do it for the school,” McAllen says. “It isn’t just me that broke these records the whole team did it and I couldn’t have done it without them. The line is making giant holes for me, (quarterback) Zach (Bedryczuk) is doing a good job, and (receiver Jon) Scirpo is getting great downfield blocks.”

Woodland fans know who Sean McAllen the football player is, but the senior shows the kind of young man he is with his actions off the field, where he is equally as impressive.

As he was leaving the locker room after a recent Saturday practice, another player’s poorly placed playbook tumbled to the ground and papers spilled all over the floor.

As other students continued to walk out of the locker room without as much as looking twice at the mess, the senior captain proceeded to pick up all of his teammate’s belongings and put them back in his locker without hesitation or help from anyone.

“I’ve certainly been fortunate to have a player like him,” Woodland head coach Chris Anderson says. “Players like that always make coaches look good.”

McAllen knows that is a two-way street.

“It shows how great the coaches coach,” McAllen says of his and the team’s success. “How well they prepare me and my teammates and how well our players are doing as a family.

“He’s (Anderson) tough, but he pushes us past our expectations. When you don’t think you can do something he pushes you until you have to and it becomes easier.”

Anderson says McAllen’s success is no mystery.

“The reason why he has had so much success is because he puts the time in,” Anderson says. “He has pride, he is first in every sprint, and he leads by example. I always see him in the front of lines, in front of the drills. He doesn’t take any days off, and doesn’t take any plays off. He has been as tough as nails for us. He is a total workhorse and I love him.”

The senior captain has impressed his teammates, as well.

“Sean always works hard in the weight room and on the field,” senior wide receiver Jon Scirpo says. “He has to be the first one dressed. He puts 100 percent effort into everything he does on and off the field.”

Editor’s note: This article appears in the Citizen’s News’ special Thanksgiving football section published the week of Nov. 27, 2015.