INLAND FIELDHOUSE

Take a closer look at Riverside Hillcrest sophomore running back Dominique Clay and you’ll see and player who looks and plays like a guy with the ability to become his school’s all-time leading rusher if he stays the course.

An unknown outside Hillcrest HS coming into this season, Clay had a sparkling first varsity game, rushing for 170 yards and two second-half touchdowns in his debut under the Friday Night Lights.

Clay already is 5-foot-10, 175 pounds, and able to run in between the tackles as easily as he’s able to jump to the outside and break off and big run down the sideline. He would be a starter on 90-plus percent of the teams in the Inland Area, and looks every bit like a 2,000-yard rusher.

We caught up with Clay after Hillcrest’s 28-20 victory in Week 0 over Riverside Arlington in Friday, Aug. 17.

InlandFieldhouse.com: What do you think about this Opening Night win?
Dominique Clay: It’s good. They had me in the first half, I’m going to say that, but I came out in the second half and did my thing.”

IF: What does a performance like this mean for you?
Clay: I’m going to keep on progressing and keep working.

IF: What’s it going to take to grasp a starting spot on this team?
Clay: Consistency with practice and keep working hard.

IF: What are the goals like for this team this season?
Clay: It’s ring season. All day long.

IF: What’s it going to take to get to that point?
Clay: I’m going to have to start training on Saturdays and Sundays and start working a lot. Keep putting in work.

IF: How will you make your mark on this team?
Clay: To be able to make my mark I’m just going to keep balling and doing my thing, and what I do best.

IF: What do you do best?
Clay: Run the football. Run hard. Keep running through.

IF: How do you go about earning that trust of your teammates and coaches?
Clay: That all happens at practice. If I keep working at practice and showing the coaches what I can do then I’m going to keep coming out here and doing me thing.