WA’s Rodney headed to King’s for football

Injury issues robbed Darren Rodney of half of his junior season.

When a teammate’s injury placed Rodney in the spotlight during his senior season, he was ready, becoming the leading rusher on Wyoming Area’s run to a Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class 3A state football championship.

“Growing up, I always liked to be in the spotlight, playing running back,” said Rodney, who has committed to continue his academic and athletic careers locally at King’s College where he intends to study business and play running back on the football team. “I liked to get the ball and see what I could do with it.

“I was ready for the task.”

Rodney, who missed one game because of a torn labrum that he otherwise played through during the second half of the season, surpassed the 100-yard mark in seven of his first nine games after taking over as starting tailback. He rushed for 1,041 yards and 17 touchdowns, including a 136-yard effort in a 21-0 state semifinal win over Tamaqua.

After seeing a college coach stop by a Wyoming Area practice when he was on the junior high team as an eighth-grader, Rodney decided he wanted to be able to play in college. He made the varsity team as a freshman defensive back, getting in on 45 tackles and breaking up three passes along with returning kickoffs and seeing limited action at running back.

Rodney ran for 434 yards in the season and a half that followed before becoming a prominent member of the district and championship team.

Recruiting visits to King’s and East Stroudsburg University, a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II school, led to Rodney’s final decision.

“They have a good business program and they’re local,” Rodney said.

The Monarchs went 5-5 during the 2019 season, winning their first four home games.