Addison Trail's D'Ambrose rushes for 394 yards, 6 TDs
Nick D'Ambrose knows that if anyone looks at the Addison Trail football record books, his name will be under most rushing yards in a game.
But he knows that the record book only tells half the story.
"It's really my (offensive) line's record, to be honest," D'Ambrose said. "I love running behind them. I couldn't have done it without them and the receivers and the coaches helping to gun for it."
D'Ambrose amassed 394 yards on 32 carries and had 7 touchdowns, 6 rushing, as the Blazers closed the regular season with a 64-6 win over Proviso East in West Suburban Gold action.
"That was kind of the goal going into the game," Addison Trail coach Paul Parpet Jr. said. "Last week he had 314. It was the right thing to do. For him, he came to work every day."
D'Ambrose broke the record - previously at 360 - in stunning fashion. Facing a second-and-2 from his own 43-yard line, with 3:06 to play, D'Ambrose broke a run down the left sideline into the end zone that gave the Blazers the 64-6 lead.
"Usually after I score, I'm really tired," D'Ambrose said. "But I had so much energy after that. I think it's a special moment for all of us."
Senior lineman Michael Renc and the rest of the linemen were left in awe on his last run.
"Excitement," Renc said. "I'm trying to think of the words right now, but it's kind of hard. It's crazy seeing him run all the way down there and realizing he got the record, I don't know, I just felt so happy for the kid. He deserves it."
And his offensive line merits recognition.
"All of his success, he pins it on us, too," Renc said. "Honestly, it's our record. As much as it is his, its really all six of us."
But Renc and the offensive line won't bug Parpet for a game ball anytime soon.
"I think we're just all going to sign the ball he has and just go from there," Renc said with a laugh.
Early on, it was clear that the Blazers (4-5, 2-4) could give D'Ambrose a shot at the record.
D'Ambrose had 45 yards on 5 carries on the opening drive of the game as the Blazers took a 6-0 lead. On the Pirates' (0-9, 0-6) ensuing drive, Christian Cici made an interception that led to a 2-yard D'Ambrose touchdown.
"It was a big play," Cici said. "It gave our offense the ball back and that's what we needed."
D'Ambrose added a 34-yard touchdown with 1:20 left in the first quarter and finished the quarter with 127 yards rushing.
"We figured it out (then)," Renc said. "From there we were just counting it down. We had our coach up (in the press box) telling us how close we were and that's how we ran our game."
By halftime D'Ambrose had added a 50-yard touchdown run - and a 25-yard touchdown reception on a screen pass - and entered the second half with 255 yards rushing.
"Because I missed three games, I really wanted to leave my impact on Addison Trail," D'Ambrose said. "That was our goal all week, to break the record."