STAFF WRITER

The play lasted less than 10 seconds, but it must have seemed like an eternity to the Livonia Franklin running back who crossed paths with Canton senior linebacker Jake Powers on the night of Sept. 10.

As the back darted for daylight just past the line of scrimmage, Powers appeared suddenly, like a rumbling freight train at a railroad crossing with no warning signals.

In one fluid motion, the 6-foot-2, 240-pound linebacker wrapped the running back up, stripped the ball from his grasp, then pounced on the ball as it lay near mid-field.

"That play was typical Jake," said Canton coach Tim Baechler. "I couldn't do something like that if I was playing flag football in the backyard with my two young sons."

Powers has been making life miserable for opposing running backs and quarterbacks for the past three years for Canton. The three-year varsity starter and converted quarterback also plays tight end for the Chiefs' potent offense.

With Powers in the middle of its defense, and as a key blocker and receiver on offense, Canton (4-0) has outscored its opponents 158-12 this season.

"Jake sets the tone for us on defense," Baechler said. "He calls the plays in the huddle and he makes adjustments on the field. It's like having another coach out there.

"Jake is one of those kids who leads by example. He doesn't get in his teammates' faces, but if I'm having a problem with a player, I'll ask Jake to talk to that player and he's knows how to handle it man-to-man."

Although he's always been an upbeat, optimistic person, Powers gained an even greater appreciation for life following a near career-ending injury he suffered while pitching for the Chiefs baseball team last April. A line drive off the bat of a Salem player struck Powers just below the left eye, shattering his cheekbone and breaking 17 bones in his face.

If the ball would have hit a few centimeters higher, or on the side of his head, the injuries could have been much more severe, doctors speculated.

"I definitely look at things differently since that happened," said Powers, who has completely recovered from the incident. "I realize now how quickly things can change and how fast things can be taken away from you. I enjoy every practice and every play now a little bit more than I used to just because you never know when it can all end."

Powers credits much of his athletic development in high school to a rigorous training routine the Chiefs endure called "Bigger, Faster, Stronger." The program begins immediately after football season ends and runs until the following season's conditioning program begins.

"It's a computer program, and each player has their own booklet to keep track of his progress," Powers explained. "At the beginning, you have to max out in all the lifts, then your height and weight are entered into the computer program. The program tells you how much weight you should be lifting and how to get there."

The program not only made Powers stronger, but it improved his foot-speed markedly, he said.

"I ran a blazing 5.4 40 (yard dash) when I was a freshman," Powers said, smiling. "Now I have it down to 4.8."

Powers, who carries a 3.76 grade-point average, is currently being recruited by several colleges, including Ivy League schools Penn and Harvard.

"If I had to decide right now, I'd probably choose to major in business," Powers revealed.

That's only natural considering Powers has been money on the football field for the past three seasons.