By Nate Beutel
When you ask Darryl Smith to run a 32-yard go at 100 percent, he’ll give you a 32-yard go at 110 percent.
And that’s just in practice.
Come game time, the Niagara Falls senior takes it up another notch to 150 percent.
“He doesn’t get cheated,” NFHS coach Don Bass said. “He never takes plays off. He plays like he practices and practices like he plays.”
And Smith has been doing that since he was five years old.
“I’ve never missed a practice in little loop or high school,” he said. “I try to do my best every day, too.”
This fall, Smith’s best effort has made him stand out more than ever. The wideout, corner and return man has been the most consistent performer for the Wolverines, according to Bass. Week after week he seems to impact the game in one way or another, most notably with his hands.
“He has phenomenal hands — like cotton,” Bass said.
Smith said most of his catches, though, are more of a credit to quarterback Dale Stewart than himself.
“It helps when you have a QB that can buy time and make the big throws,” he said with a big grin.
Adding 25 pounds of muscle to his 5-foot-9 frame this offseason wasn’t a bad idea either.
“He finally found a chest,” Bass joked. “He had a hard time keeping his shirt on this summer.”
Smith said he made the decision to hit the weights hard to not only perform better on the field, but also display leadership. After last season, the team captain realized the importance of offseason training.
“In order to be that team leader and help the team get better, I needed to get bigger,” Smith explained. “It was our last shot. No messing around. No mistakes. Time to get to work.”
Smith’s plan has seemed to work out as the Wolverines went 4-3 in the regular season and have a date against unbeaten Lancaster at 7:30 p.m. today in the Class AA quarterfinals.
“Lately, different people have been stepping up and I believe if we can get one or two more players to step up that haven’t yet, we will blow them out the waters,” Smith said with confidence.
Smith said he plans to play football in college, but he’s undecided on his final destination.
Regardless, “with weight and maturity, you’re going to read about him down the road,” Bass said.
Contact reporter Nate Beutel at 282-2311, ext. 2262.
GAME NIGHT
n WHO: 4N-Niagara Falls (4-3) at 1S-Lancaster (7-0)
n WHAT: Class AA Quarterfinal
n WHEN: 7:30 p.m. today
n WHERE: 1 Forton Drive, Lancaster
n NOTES: This is NFHS’ first playoff appearance since 2005 when it lost at Orchard Park… The Wolverines are coming off a big win over Lockport, while the Redskins escaped an upset bid by rival Depew last week… Lancaster is led by quarterback Justin Juda, who leads the team in passing and rushing.
