Bluffton’s Landen Worcester (27) arrives at the end zone along with teammate Mason Shank (55) on a touchdown run during the Friday, Aug. 25, 28-21 victory against Pandora-Gilboa.
Jessica Trinko | The Lima News
BLUFFTON – The statistics are impressive. How many running backs tally nearly 300 yards and five touchdowns in the first two games of a high school football season?
When you see Bluffton junior Landen Worcester turn a 3-yard gain into a 20-yard one, you’re seeing more than just athletic ability, Pirates’ coach Jeff Richards said.
“He’s a special player, not just because of his athletic ability but because of his work ethic,” Richards said. “We put a lot of pressure on him to be that leader and to be that guy. He embraces it.”
Worcester opened the year with a 125-yard, three-touchdown performance in a 42-7 win against Benjamin Logan. In the second week, he followed that up with a 167-yard, two-touchdown game in a 28-21 win against Pandora-Gilboa.
Bluffton played at Ayersville on Friday night, but the game finished after the press deadline. The Pirates open Northwest Conference play next Friday against Delphos Jefferson.
In the game against the Rockets, Worcester only had 1 yard rushing at the end of the first quarter. He kept his engine revving, turning short gains into longer and longer ones as the game went along. He had 47 yards on the final drive of the Pandora-Gilboa game, which he capped with a 10-yard touchdown and the go-ahead score.
“The big thing was we were just grinding out the run. We weren’t stopping,” Worcester said. “We were sticking to the run, getting that 3, 4, 5 yard plays. It really wears them down, especially in the fourth quarter.”
He’s proven to be just as valuable as a linebacker on Bluffton’s defense. Against the Rockets, he ended one long drive with an interception and 16-yard return. He had more than 100 tackles in each of his first two seasons.
“We always ask him, ‘Do you need a break or something?’ He’ll be honest with us, but he works extremely hard to not have to tell us he needs a rest,” Richards said.
Worcester acknowledged he’ll take a break when he needs one. He just works hard to make sure he doesn’t need one.
“The coaches are really good with getting me my rest when I need it. A lot of it is just the want,” he said.
After a 2-0 start, Worcester is optimistic about the season he and the Pirates have ahead of them.
“The only limits we would have is people getting hurt,” he said. “Other than that, we don’t have a limit. The sky’s the limit.”
David Trinko wrote this story for LimaScores.com. Reach The Lima News sports department at 567-242-0451.
