Few positions are as closely connected to Seagoville football history as running back.
The tradition reaches back to the early 1950s. Toady Bearden earned first-team all-district honors as a tailback and quarterback, while Jake Landess scored 14 touchdowns in 1953. Leon Tharp became a first-team all-district halfback in both 1956 and 1957.
Later generations added their own names to the legacy.
James Collier rushed for 1,225 yards and 10 touchdowns in 1977 and was named the district Offensive Player of the Year in 1978. Ricky Richards followed with a 1,400-yard season in 1980, earning the same district honor after entering the year as a preseason All-State selection.
Floyd Wells brought power, size and speed to the position in the early 1980s. Eli Escobar starred on both sides of the ball and earned district MVP honors. John Livingston then helped the Dragons win 17 of 21 games over two seasons.
Kelvin Eaton produced some of the largest career numbers in school history. He rushed for 1,478 yards in 1993, ranked 14th among Texas Class 4A rushers and completed his two-year varsity career with approximately 3,300 yards. He averaged an extraordinary seven yards per carry.
Curtis Mann, Dunston Owens, Ezedrick Evans, JeQualon Wright, Isaiah Brown, Xzavier Phillips and JaCarr Lee later continued that tradition.
The names changed, but the identity remained the same: Seagoville could run the football.
Today’s quiz asks readers to identify the backs who built the “Running Back High” legacy.
Why Seagoville Became “Running Back High”
81.
During which two seasons did Toady Bearden earn first-team all-district honors?
A. 1950–1951
B. 1951–1952
C. 1952–1953
D. 1953–1954
82.
Leon Tharp was a first-team all-district halfback in which two seasons?
A. 1954 and 1955
B. 1955 and 1956
C. 1956 and 1957
D. 1957 and 1958
83.
How many touchdowns did David Travis score for the 1958 Dragons?
A. Seven
B. Eight
C. Nine
D. Ten
84.
Which running back was named the district’s Offensive Player of the Year in 1978?
A. James Collier
B. Ricky Richards
C. Floyd Wells
D. Jake Landess
85.
Which Seagoville running back entered the 1980 season as a preseason All-State selection?
A. Eli Escobar
B. Ricky Richards
C. John Livingston
D. Floyd Wells
86.
Which running back was described as a powerful runner with size and speed who was also a hard-hitting defensive standout?
A. Floyd Wells
B. David Travis
C. Leon Tharp
D. James Collier
87.
Which player earned first-team all-district recognition at both tailback and cornerback and was named District 5-AAAA MVP?
A. John Tenison
B. Kelvin Eaton
C. Eli Escobar
D. John Livingston
88.
Which running back helped lead Seagoville to 17 victories in 21 games over the 1987 and 1988 seasons?
A. Chris Braggs
B. John Livingston
C. Anthony Bass
D. JeQualon Wright
89.
Kelvin Eaton ranked 14th among Texas Class 4A rushers in 1993 with how many yards?
A. 1,278
B. 1,378
C. 1,478
D. 1,578
90.
Approximately how many career rushing yards did Kelvin Eaton compile during the 1993 and 1994 seasons?
A. 2,700
B. 3,000
C. 3,300
D. 3,600
Answer key: 81-C, 82-C, 83-C, 84-A, 85-B, 86-A, 87-C, 88-B, 89-C, 90-C
