[12/12/04] ROLLING FORK Sharkey-Issaquena running back Zack McDaniel had lofty goals coming into this season, namely rushing for 2,000 yards.

He had mentioned it a few times to people, but not until a preseason article appeared in this newspaper touting his goal did he really start to feel the bulls-eye on his back.

“I wanted 2,000 real bad,” McDaniel said. “Last year I got 1,000 and I worked all summer for it. I wanted to do whatever I had to to get there.”

McDaniel reached his goal as he rushed for 2,311 yards and 28 touchdowns. His on-field exploits made him a unanimous choice for The Vicksburg Post’s All-Area Player of the Year.

More amazing than his statistics almost three touchdowns a game and a 14.9 yard-per-carry-average is that he did most of it with one arm.

McDaniel rushed for more than 1,000 yards in his first four games before a late hit in the endzone during his fifth game put his season in jeopardy.

After scoring a touchdown, he was hit from behind and while trying to brace his fall, he dislocated his elbow. He looked at his arm and two bones protruded in different directions.

A short on-field attempt to get the bones back in place failed. He left for Vicksburg immediately and doctors set the bones in place.

For the rest of the season, McDaniel wore a cast from his wrist to his upper arm. It made carrying a football in his right arm impossible. Every time he took a hit pain shot throughout his body.

His response was to rush for almost 1,200 yards in his last six games and set the Sharkey-Issaquena single-season rushing record.

“As a running back, it’s hard to run with only one arm,” said the 5-foot, 9-inch senior who is being wooed by Delta State and several other smaller schools around the state. “You have to be able to change arms when you are running the ball, and I couldn’t do that.”

McDaniel also played linebacker, but tackling became nearly impossible; the pain unbearable.

“This was my first year here but I know the football tradition had fallen off over the years,” SIA coach Cori Britt said. “I know it’s not just one player, but Zack made people around Mississippi know where Sharkey-Issaquena Academy was.”

McDaniel played in the Mississippi Private Schools Association All-Star game and earned player of the game honors. He played offense, defense and special teams, and “that’s something you don’t normally see from a 1A guy,” Britt said.

The Confederates, who will return a wealth of talent next year, will have to find a way to replace the most dangerous offensive weapon in school history.

“I mean, 2,300 yards and 28 touchdowns is a lot to replace,” Britt said. “That’s three guys with almost 800 yards each. That’s not going to be easy.”

McDaniel, who is also SIA’s senior class president and leading scorer on the basketball team, would like to play at Delta State, but football in college will be more of an opportunity to get an education.

Because of his size, Britt said many larger schools in the state are backing off despite his gaudy numbers.