Player of the Week: Sacred Heart running back DJ Booth

HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WDAM) - Sacred Heart isn’t just off to a 3-0 start – the Crusaders are cruising past their opponents with an average margin of victory of 22 points.

“This season has been different than any other season,” said senior running back DJ Booth. “I could say because the way that we play together, the chemistry that we have. The determination – like I said last time – the determination has really changed this year. So, I’m glad we can actually show it and prove it.”

“Effort is number one,” said head coach Ed Smith. “These guys play harder than anybody I’ve ever been around. We’re overcoming a lot of mistakes with effort.”

Booth carried a heavy load in Friday night’s 34-10 win over St. Andrew’s, taking his 30 touches for 205 yards and two touchdowns.

“If you can run the football, that means a lot,” Smith said. “DJ’s a downhill runner, he runs behind his pads, he can run through tackles. But he’s also got five pretty good guys blocking for him up front.”

“I give big props to the O-line ‘cause without them I wouldn’t be able to get 30 carries a game,” Booth said. “It’s all love for the game. It’s just the passion that drives me to do more.”

Every Crusader shares that desire to win. And they know they can’t do it alone.

“These guys are not selfish,” Smith said. “They’re just playing football and they’re having fun and that’s a big part of it.”

“Never quit, never stop putting in the work that we put in,” Booth said. “We always have a mindset going into each new week and that’s to be 1-0.”

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