John Raffel
Sports Scene
Larry Fouts overcame the odds to have an excellent football season as a junior running back.
One of his best games was in a 47-27 win over a Hemlock team that finished the regular season at 7-2. In that game, he ran for 255 yards and three touchdowns. He ran for 117 yards on 20 carries against Bullock Creek and 140 yards against Alma.
“Larry started off slow due to an illness,” said Ovid-Elsie football coach Travis Long. “He has come on strong the last few weeks, rushing for over 200 yards the past two games. He is quick to the hole and has great explosion. It has been a joy to watch him run this season.”
Fouts had mononucleosis, forcing him to miss early-season action.
When he returned, “I felt I was a little behind,” he said, adding that the key in the win over Hemlock was “my line definitely. My fullback, too, was amazing as a blocker. I have to give him a lot of credit.”
Fouts has been a running back for six years.
“A lot of people will say I’m really quick,” he said. “I have a lot of strength, but I use my quickness.”
Fouts has played a little bit of defense but has focused on offense.
The Marauders went 6-3 during the regular season to qualify for playoffs.
“We just play really good as a team,” he said.
Fouts also runs track. He said that track has gotten him ready for football.
“I played baseball my freshman year,” he said. “When football came around, I went out for track so I could be in good shape for football.”