Story originally printed in the Winona Daily News or online at www.winonadailynews.com
Published - Sunday, April 20, 2008
WSU FOOTBALL: Dewberry reveals play-making ability
 WSU Purple running back Curtis Dewberry (2) dives into the endzone for a rushing touchdown in front of defenders during the Warriors' spring football game Saturday at Maxwell Field. (Photo by Andrew Link/Winona Daily News) |
Curtis Dewberry touched down in Minnesota last winter, via a flight from Orlando, Fla., and was met with an authentic midwest welcome: below-zero temperatures.
“It was about negative-10,” said Dewberry, a 5-foot-8 junior transfer and running back on the Winona State University football team. “I got off the plane and I was just like ‘oh, man.’”
If he was chilled on arrival, Dewberry apparently is warmed up now.
Dewberry scored an 8-yard rushing touchdown and returned a kickoff 82 yards for another score in the WSU spring game Saturday at Maxwell Field at Alltel Stadium. Dewberry’s purple squad defeated the white squad 17-7.
“I just try to go out there and give a spark whenever I can,” Dewberry said, “whenever I get in the game.”
Competition at running back is perhaps as crowded and close as any WSU position battle. Warriors coach Tom Sawyer said it was a five-way race for carries as of Saturday’s spring game.
Dewberry left Sawyer and his staff with a memorable first impression with his electric running style and game-breaking ability as the team broke practice for the summer.
Dewberry finished with eight carries for 29 yards and a touchdown on the ground to go with 122 yards on a pair of long kick returns.
“He’s explosive,” Sawyer said. “The kickoff return for a touchdown, making people miss, he’s fast. He brings excitement into our offense as well. When he touches it, people are going to go ‘wow, what’s he going to do next?’ He gives some reminders of what Kevin Curtin was like a few years back.”
Curtin, a former All-American and record breaker at Winona State, was a two-time finalist for the Harlon Hill award for the top player in Division II.
Dewberry was on the Warriors’ radar as a Florida high school standout, but elected to begin his collegiate career at North Greenville University in Tigerville, S.C.
Last season Dewberry amassed 312 yards rushing, had a 7.0-yard punt return average, 22.9-yard kickoff return average and scored six touchdowns for the Crusaders.
He reconsidered WSU on the urging of his high school quarterback and Warriors sophomore defensive back Chad Cheek.
“I should have came up here in the first place,” Dewberry said. “So I’m glad they accepted me and gave me a second chance to play.”
On a day when Dewberry did a little of everything — he scored his rushing touchdown and kick return touchdown on consecutive plays — the diminutive back even flashed a little humility.
Dewberry broke free on the opening kickoff of the second half and appeared to have his second kick return touchdown of the day sowed up. With only kicker Alex Minnert to beat, Dewberry juked to the outside, but was promptly upended by the spry kicker.
“He has a jersey on just like everybody else,” Dewberry said with a laugh. “He made a tackle, I give him his props.”
On Saturday and all spring, Dewberry earned his share of props as well.
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