CHARLOTTESVILLE — Friday’s IHSAA sectional semifinal matchup between Eastern Hancock and Lapel will feature two of the top running backs in not only class 2A, but the entire state of Indiana.
For Eastern Hancock, senior Kain Sotelo takes that honor, and for Lapel, senior Tyler Dollar.
Sotelo has put together one of the most impressive Royals seasons in the last decade, rushing for 1,624 yards and 15 touchdowns.
His average of 162.4 yards per game is the Royals’ best mark since running back Spencer Gilbert averaged 194.4 yards per game in the 2013 season. Sotelo’s 1,624 yards ranks currently as second most in school history.
“I don’t think anyone really knew what Kain was capable of with the ball in his hands until this year. It’s been fun to watch,” Eastern Hancock head coach Pat Echeverria said. “He’s definitely been a bright spot for us offensively.”
With the Eastern Hancock offense being played through him, Sotelo has gone over the 100-yard mark in seven of the Royals’ 10 games this season, with five of those performances surpassing the 200-yard mark.
His season high came last week in the Royals’ sectional quarterfinal victory over Union County when he racked up 256 yards on 28 carries.
The numbers that Sotelo has put up this year have placed him near or at the top of the Class 2A, state, and conference rushing yards rankings. In 2A he ranks third, in the state he ranks 11th, and in the Mid-Eastern Conference he holds the top spot.
“As a senior, especially with a young group around him, he’s been amazing,” Echeverria said. “I’m just excited he’s on our team.”
Having a running back of Sotelo’s caliber makes things easier for Echeverria and the Royals offense, but it also shows them just how dangerous opposing teams can be when they have one of their own.
That will be the case Friday night when Dollar and the Lapel Bulldogs come to town.
Dollar nearly matches, or exceeds Sotelo in every major rushing category this season, even with missing one game due to injury.
He sits just 23 yards behind Sotelo with 1,601, but has recorded more touchdowns, punching in 20.
Just like Sotelo, he’s broken the 100-yard mark multiple times. In total, he’s exceeded it seven times, including three games over 200, and one game over 300.
In the rankings, Sotelo has him by just two spots in both class 2A and the state. Dollar sits at 13th in the state, and fifth in 2A in rushing yards.
“They’re different styles. Dollar is a downhill physical back, while Kain is a little bit more shifty. But they both have that ability, obviously, to do both just with how talented they are,” Echeverria said. “Dollar’s been doing it for four years, and he’s just a physical, physical running back. It’s tough to prepare and simulate that stuff in practice, that’s for sure.”
In the first matchup between the two teams, just two weeks ago, Sotelo outpaced Dollar, helping lead the Royals to a 29-22 victory.
Sotelo ran for 215 yards and four touchdowns in the game, while Dollar, playing less than 100 percent healthy, was held to just 35 yards and one score while only playing the first half.
Echeverria knows it won’t be that easy again.
“He looked great against Winchester in the film that we watched. He looked explosive and physical, and all of those things that he’s been his entire career,” Echeverria said. “He’s an amazing back, so we’re definitely going to have our hands full with him.”
