Burnside healthy, hopes to keep Union's run going

LA PORTE CITY - He isn't “hamstrung” right now, and Wes Burnside can't tell you how relieved that makes him.

“I've always kind of had issues with my hamstrings, but it's never been this bad,” said the senior running back from La Porte City Union. “There was a lot of scar tissue built up. I didn't take care of them like I should have.”

Burnside has had one of the most prolific careers of any area back over the years, amassing 5,597 yards and 74 touchdowns going into Union's Class 3A state playoff quarterfinal tonight against Maquoketa. The 5-foot-10, 200-pounder ranked third in the state last season with 2,336 yards and 30 touchdowns in 10 games, playing three less games than the guy who finished first and one less than the guy who was second.

This season has been sort of a disappointment from a stats standpoint, with Burnside running for 1,646 yards and 27 TDs in 11 games, fourth in 3A. Blame most of that on those tricky hamstrings.

“He added 20 pounds in the off-season to be able to (physically) withstand the number of carries he gets,” said Union Coach Joe Hadachek. “I still think that was the right thing to do. But sometimes when you have all that muscle ...”

Hadachek said a different rehab program instituted after Burnside was reinjured in a midseason loss to DeWitt Central has worked well. The back has averaged 185 yards in Union's last five games, including a 205-yard effort as Union ended Solon's dream of a five-peat in last week's second round.

“I remember him being a fourth-grader in our youth program,” Hadachek said. “You could just tell he had special abilities. And he loved the game of football then as much as he does now.

“The thing with Wes is that you are going to get the same Wes Burnside in the first quarter, the same Wes Burnside in the second quarter, the same Wes Burnside in the third quarter and the fourth quarter. I'd call him more of a power slasher.”

Iowa has kicked his tires recruiting wise, and Northern Iowa also is interested, as are a number of Division II schools. Burnside said he has no official offers from anyone as yet.

“Kind of difficult because I'd like to have a bigger idea of where I'm going,” he said. “But I'm confident I'll end up somewhere good.”

There are the playoffs to worry about first. Union (9-2) lost two of three games midseason because of Burnside's woes and an injury to quarterback Trev Hadachek, Joe's son. That included a 35-15 loss to Maquoketa (10-1).

“We're a totally different team than we were back then,” Coach Hadachek said. “But I'm sure they're a different team, too.”