The Wolverines senior workhorse is coming off a 256-yard playoff effort
Watch Top Football Plays 2015, Episode 12, featuring Charlie Clewis’ 76-yard touchdown against Heritage on Friday as the No. 8 play. (Video by Nick Plum for Synthesis/Koubaroulis LLC / The Washington Post)
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November 19, 2015, 2:00 p.m. — In the opening round of the 4A West region playoffs on Friday, Charlie Clewis ran wild.
The senior power back bulldozed his way for 256 yards on 33 carries, including a 76-yard breakaway touchdown. Riding their star workhorse, Woodgrove cruised to a 40-13 victory over Heritage to advance.
The Wolverines are a run-heavy team, allowing Clewis to amass 1,555 yards this season on 227 attempts, to go along with 28 touchdowns. Last season in his first year as a starter, he actually had more carries, 267, but had fewer yards, 1,406, and far fewer touchdowns, 15, showing his progression as a running back.
“I’m definitely not as fast as a lot of other running backs, but I’m a lot faster than I was last season,” Clewis said, “but I’m more of a downhill runner, averaging close to six or seven yards per carry.”
The Wolverines out of Purcellville, Va. are 10-1, and have won 10 consecutive games after dropping the first game of the season to Champe (10-0). They have an average winning margin of 37 points in those 10 wins, including three shutouts.
Due to the many one-sided games, Coach Mike Skinner has elected to give Clewis some extra rest throughout the year, explaining the slight drop-off in attempts from his junior year.
“We’ve had a lot more blowouts this season than we have in the past,” Clewis said, “so some games I might have less than 10 carries when we’re beating a team 50-0, but some games I might have 30, or close to 40, to get the win.”
Even in his 256-yard outburst Friday night, Clewis did not play the whole game.
“It’s frustrating sometimes to only play a half of a game, you just want to be out there,” Clewis said.
The 5-foot-10, 210-pound back began his varsity experience as a sophomore when he served as backup to Josh Sweet, who now plays for Cornell, but Clewis took over as a junior and hasn’t looked back.
However, the journey to where he is today was not an easy one.
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“Last year I felt really slow honestly,” Clewis said, “I had gained a lot of weight in the offseason, a lot of muscle, but I hadn’t worked on my speed much. So this past off-season I knew how to get faster; I decreased my 40-time but kept my strength.”
As a senior, Clewis is doing it all. With increased speed and the strength still there, he has become a more versatile player. The dynamic back now has the ability to scramble for long runs, muscle for short gains, and even takes pride in his abilities as a blocker.
“Last year I never would have broken off a 76-yard touchdown run,” Clewis said, “just a lot of hard work in the offseason with lifting and speed training every single day.”
Clewis credits both his offensive line and Coach Skinner for his success. He described his coach as the type of guy that pushes his players as far as he can. Practices can be grueling, but the Wolverines outwork their opponents.
“It’s ’48 minutes of Hell’, that’s what coach says before every game,” Clewis said.
The Wolverines junior quarterback Mike Kovich praises his running back, saying he is a game-changer for their offense.
“Charlie is the guy that will get us the yardage by any means,” Kovich said, “and he gives us great confidence. Because he’s so dominant, teams also have to game plan for him, which helps open up the pass game.”
Kovich has tossed for over 1,100 yards this season, also in his first year as a starter. According to the quarterback, Clewis is as much of a role model on and off the field.
“I’ve never been around a harder working guy than Charlie,” Kovich said. “When he needs to, the guy just refuses to go down. Usually people who are as good as him are a little cocky, but he’s one of the best, nicest and well-rounded guys I know.”
Junior receiver Mason Gryniuk echoed Kovich’s admiration for the running back.
“Charlie is a leader and brings that workhorse mentality and drive to the whole team,” Gryniuk said. “He doesn’t stop running and we all play that way. He’s the type of player that is very humble and has a quiet excitement about him when he scores.”
That hard work has also garnered some interest from colleges, primarily at the Division III level. The top suitors are Johns Hopkins, Tufts, and Washington and Lee. Dickinson College and Catholic University have also expressed some curiosity.
Clewis is nearing the end of his career with little left to prove.
“Last year I was All-Conference and All-Region. I mean being All-State would be nice but those things aren’t the most important to me.”
Most important for Clewis is winning, something he and the Wolverines hope to do Friday in the second round of the playoffs against Sherando (9-1) out of Stephens City, Va.
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