By JOE SIMON

j_simon@ncnewsonline.com

It’s a disservice to Wilmington’s Sutton Whiting to simply refer to him as a running back.

Sure, he’s led the area in rushing and scored nearly 50 touchdowns in the last two years. His speed, footwork and moves in the open field are second to none, but that’s not all there is to Whiting.

“He’s probably the best secondary tackler I’ve ever seen,” Wilmington coach Terry Verrelli said. “For as small as he is, he’ll come up and hit anybody. He doesn’t just tackle, he hits.”

He throws, too.

Aside from running for 114 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries, he also tossed a 50-yard TD pass and played a key role on a swarming Wilmington defense in the Greyhounds’ 14-0 victory over North East in the first round of the District 10 playoffs. His overall performance earned him Athlete of the Week honors, an award sponsored by Washington Centre Physical Therapy and selected by the New Castle News sports staff.

Whiting scored on a 79-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and then hit Ryan Crawford with a halfback pass in the third quarter to seal Wilmington’s victory. He also played well at his safety position on defense, making seven solo tackles.

It was another complete performance by one of the better all-around players in Wilmington history.

“He’s a great athlete, so he can do multiple things,” Verrelli said. “He started all four years. He’s a smart player. He’s instinctive. To have a kid like him, he always gives you a chance (to win).”

His defensive prowess really came to fruition this year after he was moved from corner to safety. Whiting said he’s always enjoyed defense as much as offense, and the switch to safety has given him more of an opportunity to become a playmaker.

“I love defense,” he said. “I was at corner last year, and at corner you don’t get to hit as many people. At safety, everything is right in front of you, so it’s fun to just run around and make plays.”

He’s made plenty of them this year. Whiting leads the team with 30 solo tackles and is second with 54 overall stops (assists count as half a tackle, and he has 48). He also is tied for the team high in interceptions with two. He led a defensive effort that shut out North East, which averaged 22 points per game coming into their matchup.

Verrelli said Whiting played well at corner over the past few seasons, and the experience aided him in a breakout senior year. His best defensive attribute is his hitting, which may surprise opponents considering Whiting is listed at 160 pounds.

“He’s always been a good defensive player,” Verrelli said. “This being his senior year and him being around for four years, he’s confident, and he’s extra special this year.”

The versatile Whiting, who signed a national letter-of-intent to play baseball at the University of Louisville last week, put the finishing touches on Wilmington’s win with another area of his game that has opened some eyes: passing. Whiting has thrown the ball three times this year and is 3 of 3 for 108 yards and a touchdown. Since his running ability forces teams to bring an extra player to the line of scrimmage, the Greyhounds can throw the ball down the field at a high percentage rate, even if it’s with their “running back.”

“We put him in the shotgun Saturday — just trying to get him the ball more,” said Verrelli of the Greyhounds’ version of the wildcat. “He can throw. He’d have to work at being a quarterback.”

Whiting said the thrill of tossing a touchdown pass was even better than running for one.

“I love running, but I don’t get to throw much, so it’s nice to get a little bit of that dual threat,” he said. “(The touchdown pass) may have been a little wobbly, but it got there. That’s all that matters.”

Who knows what area of his game will surface against archrival Sharon on Saturday. Regardless, all that will matter then will be a victory.

THE SUTTON WHITING FILE

POSITION: Running back/safety

GRADE: 12

KNOWN FOR: Whiting is best known as one of the state’s premier running backs, but he showed Saturday he can do much more. He ran for 114 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries, and also threw a 50-yard TD pass. The 5-foot-9, 160-pound senior is one of the Greyhounds best tacklers on defense as well, leading Wilmington with 30 solo stops.

PARENTS: Bob and Susan Whiting

FAVORITE PRO TEAM: New York Jets. “They were on (HBO Sports Documentary) Hard Knocks this year, and I loved all the players on the team.”

FAVORITE PRO PLAYER: LaDainian Tomlinson, New York Jets running back. “He’s just a hard-working running back who makes plays and is a good-spoken dude.”

FUTURE PLANS: Whiting, a shortstop on Wilmington’s baseball team, signed a national letter-of-intent to play baseball at the University of Louisville last week. He said he’s unsure of what he’s going to study, but currently is considering sports administration.