Carries to catches

• Adam Woroniecki

Press Photo by Dustin Monke Richardton-Taylor-Hebron’s Adam Woroniecki, middle, tries to shake two defenders on a punt return drill Tuesday afternoon during practice for the Badlands Bowl all-star high school football game at the Dickinson High School practice field.

Talk about it

Richardton-Taylor-Hebron’s Adam Woroniecki rushed for more than 2,000 yards last fall.

However, on Saturday night during the Badlands Bowl all-star football game, Woroniecki may catch more balls than he carries.

One of the few 9-man players on Team North Dakota, Woroniecki has played himself into the offensive system run by Troy Mattern, the head coach at Class 3A champion Fargo South who is helming this year’s team.

“He fits our system well,” Mattern said. “We’re going to run a spread offense. He’s that athlete, so to speak, that we can put out at a wideout or at running back. We’re going to move him around the field, let him be an athlete, get the ball out to him in space and let him run.”

At 6-foot-2, 190 pounds, Woroniecki looks more like a receiver than a running back and he’s eager to give the new position a try.

“I’m excited for the offense,” Woroniecki said. “It’s way different than what we ever did. It’s definitely a speedier offense.”

Woroniecki carried the load for R-T-H last year as he helped them win a Region 6 championship.

In the Raiders’ system, however, there wasn’t much call for airing out the ball.

“We don’t throw the ball. It’s not our system to do that. He just fits so well where we used him, too,” said Travis Olson, R-T-H’s head coach who is an North Dakota assistant in the Badlands Bowl. “It’s really fun to see him do this. That’s what they might look at him for in college, too. That’s exciting. It tells you what kind of a player he is and how versatile he is.”

Woroniecki has signed a national letter of intent to play for the University of Mary in the fall.

He said practicing for the Badlands Bowl is helping him prepare for the move to 11-man football.

“Everything is more crowded, not as many open spaces. You’ve kind of got to make your spaces,” said Woroniecki, who could also be used as a returner. “Everything is a little more crowded. Everything is faster too, but that comes with more talented players.”

At Monday night’s practice, Dickinson High activities director Mark Rerick, who has coached in the Badlands Bowl, commented on the toughness of 9-man players in the game.

Olson agreed, saying that Woroniecki could be one player who, regardless of the score, is still going at 100-percent speed at the end of the game.

“It’ll really surprise me if he isn’t,” Olson said. “He’s one who’ll be there at the end.”

Badlands Bowl

18th annual Knights of Columbus Montana-North Dakota all-star high school football game

6 p.m. Saturday

At Denton Field, Miles City, Mont.

Online: www.badlandsbowl.com

Radio: KDIX, 1230 AM

TV: FOX

Tags: badlands bowl, sports, football, preps