Emert will keep on pounding, big offers or not

CUMMING -- Frank Hepler simply can’t understand why more colleges aren’t burning up his phone lines to speak to Ben Emert.

“There’s a bunch of Division I schools that are going to miss out if they don’t offer him a scholarship,” the West Forsyth football coach said.

Anyone who has watched Emert -- the Wolverines’ starting fullback -- this season, might by similarly perplexed.

The powerful senior has rushed for almost 1,200 yards and scored 21 touchdowns in eight games, and in the past two contests Emert has totaled 621 yards and 11 scores, including an eye-popping 352 yards rushing on 25 carries and six touchdowns in last week’s 54-51 loss to Flowery Branch. During the game, he ripped off scoring runs of 29, 68, 62, 83, 1 and 13 yards, as he averaged 14.1 yards per carry.

And this on the heels of a junior campaign in which Emert rolled up 1,140 yards and 18 touchdowns.

“He’s as good as any Division I scholarship athlete I’ve ever coached,” Hepler said.

That’s high praise from a man who has sent more than his fair share of talent to the highest levels of the collegiate game, including University of Georgia defensive tackle Jeff Owens and Central Florida quarterback Ryan Schneider, during his time coaching at south Florida’s Plantation High School.

“There’s not a better one that I’ve coached,” Hepler said. “He’s so intelligent and dominating. And he’s having a great year. He’s really carried the load for our offense this year.”

And yet Emert’s only scholarship offers so far have come from Air Force and Virginia Military Institute -- a fact that has the player himself wondering what more he needs to do.

“I don’t know what they’re looking for,” said Emert, who has received interest from several programs, including Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, Stanford, Vanderbilt and Indiana. “I hope I get some more offers.”

Not that he’s complaining -- Emert isn’t the type. He’s just a senior who’s desperate to play at the highest levels.

“I’d like to play Division I,” said the 6-foot-1, 220-pound bruiser who has also been clocked at 4.55 seconds in the 40-yard dash. “I’m just going to keep praying about it, and I’ll end up where I’m supposed to be.”

It seems inarguable that place is anywhere but the gridiron -- though he does pretty well in the classroom too, carrying a 3.8 grade point average. And after inaugurating the Wolverines’ football program the senior has certainly set some high standards for future West Forsyth players.

“It’s been pretty awesome to be the first running back to come through here and set some records,” Emert said.

He does admit this season has contained its share of disappointments, especially since the Wolverines (4-4, 2-2 Region 7B-AAA) were knocked from postseason contention last week in the nail-biting loss to the Falcons.

“It’s been a roller-coaster ride,” he said. “I would like to have made the playoffs.”

After going 8-2 and missing out on the postseason as a junior, Emert set some lofty goals for himself as a senior – goals that were designed to push West Forsyth into the postseason in just its second year of varsity, region play.

“I wanted to get 20 touchdowns, which I’ve done, and I wanted to rush for 1,500 yards,” Emert said.

With the way he’s been churning out big gains lately, a goal of 300 more yards certainly seems attainable.

“My line’s been blocking great, and I’ve been getting past the line of scrimmage,” said Emert, who has the ability to bowl over smaller defenders or run past larger ones in the open field. “I think I can still do it, and I think we’ll get it rolling here again these next two games.”

West Forsyth takes on Chestatee at home this Friday before facing West Hall in the season finale on Nov. 6.

“I’m going to give it everything I’ve got,” Emert said.

And you can be certain he’ll keep on doing that -- whether the big offers come rolling in or not.