By TODD KRISE

t_krise@ncnewsonline.com

The juke.

It is a football move utilized by some of the greatest players in the history of the game.

It’s also a move Wilmington High’s Sutton Whiting perfected out of necessity.

“I always played backyard football with my brothers,” he said. “They would go out there to kill me, so I guess I learned some moves out there.

“You had to make them miss because I wasn’t going to overpower them. I had to do something.”

The juke now is a common move in Whiting’s offensive repertoire. It helped the junior collect 113 rushing yards and three touchdowns last week in a 40-0 win over Slippery Rock.

The performance earned Whiting the distinction of being Lawrence County’s Co-Athlete of the Week, as selected by the New Castle News sports staff. The award is sponsored by Washington Centre Physical Therapy.

Whiting’s brothers, Bobby and Brandon “Boomer” also played running back for Wilmington. Their father, Bob, played outside linebacker for Kent State University.

“Football is in the family,” Sutton said.

“He’s very similar,” Greyhounds coach Terry Verrelli said when asked to compare Sutton to the rest of his family. “They all had good speed. They’re strong for their size and all of them are quick. He kind of is following in the footsteps of his brothers.”

Like his older siblings, Sutton was not blessed with a football body. At 5-foot-8 and 155 pounds, Sutton is one of the smallest players on the field on any given Friday night.

But what he lacks in size, he makes up for in statistics.

Whiting rushed for 870 yards as a sophomore last season, which ranked him fifth in the county. Only Derrick Burns (1,458) outrushed Whiting on Wilmington’s roster.

This season, however, Whiting is leading his elder teammate (Burns missed one game this season). Whiting, who already has two more 100-yard rushing games than all of last year, has collected 664 yards to Burns’ 652.

“We’re both real competitive,” Whiting said, “so anytime we get the ball, we just want to get into that end zone. It’s fun.”

Add running back Josh Phillian and quarterback Jake DeMedal into the mix and you can see why Wilmington has hopes of returning to the PIAA Class AA championship game.

“In our offense, we try to use everyone, so you just can’t key on one person,” Verrelli said. “Having him and Derrick and Phillian is certainly a threat. None of them get too many carries in a game because we spread it around. I think that’s what helps us be a strong offensive team.”

Last week, Whiting scored on runs of 8 and 57 yards, including a third touchdown that came on a 47-yard punt return, which was Whiting’s first of his career at any level.

The running back added five pounds of muscle in the offseason thanks to a weekly weightlifting schedule with teammates DeMedal and Jake DeVido.

The trio would lift at Wilmington two days a week during the summer and also head to a local gym for additional work.

“I was pretty small last year,” Whiting said. “I’m still pretty small, but I put on a little weight. My strength is a lot better than last year. The coaches noticed when I came into camp.”

But experience, Verrelli said, is the biggest different in Whiting’s game.

“He runs with confidence,” he said. “He can catch the ball, throw the ball and run with the ball. He’s a great defensive player because he’ll come up and tackle you. He’s well-rounded as a football player.

“I just think the experience over the years has really brought him to the top this year.”

*****

THE SUTTON WHITING FILE

POSITION: Running back/defensive back

TEAM: Wilmington

GRADE: 11

KNOWN FOR: Whiting collected 113 yards on only seven carries in Wilmington’s 40-0 win over Slippery Rock last week. He scored three touchdowns, one on a 47-yard punt return.

PARENTS: Bob and Susan Whiting

FAVORITE PRO TEAM AND WHY: Denver Broncos because “I’ve always liked them since I was little. They’re just starting to get good this year.”

FAVORITE COLLEGE TEAM AND WHY: Florida because “they’re fun to watch. They’re all fast and explosive.”

FAVORITE PRO PLAYER AND WHY: Champ Bailey because “I think he’s one of the best defensive backs in the league. He just makes plays.”

FUTURE PLANS: Whiting hopes to earn a Division I baseball scholarship.