James helps Dobbins defeat Gratz

THE WORDS HAVE stayed with Karon James since the year he began playing football.

Look hard. See? They're still right there. Stuck in his craw.

Since James, a senior tailback for Murrell Dobbins Tech, stands only 5-3 and weighs just 146 pounds even now, you can imagine how tiny he looked as a seventh-grader upon joining the North Philly Aztecs.

It was bad enough that an opposing player questioned James' skills. This evil dude even took it one step further.

"He said to me, 'You're not going to be anything in life,"' James said.

It's a wonder James did not scrawl those words - in giant-sized letters, of course - on a banner that he then taped to the wall in his bedroom. Actually, he didn't need to. He sees and hears them again and again and they never fail to provide Nth-degree motivation.

The occasion yesterday at 29th Street Stadium was a Public AAA goodie, viewed by an energetic crowd, between Dobbins and Simon Gratz. James failed to score as the Mustangs triumphed, 28-16, but he did turn 21 carries into 124 yards and, moments after the game, coach Lou Zambino did roar with passion, "Ron-Ron's our heart!"

And that heart might be as big as all outdoors.

"I feel like I'm always having to prove people wrong," James said. "I use that for motivation. It's a good feeling to know I can keep coming out here and do the job."

James and junior fullback Terrance Stafford, who like to refer to themslves as Dash and Smash, accounted for 220 rushing yards thanks to the blocking of center Stephan Bradley, guards Ernest White and Erik Saunders, and tackles Kewan Williams and Jamar Samuels.

Stafford turned 12 carries into 96 yards and two touchdowns, yet missed out on a third through the air. Just before the goal line, after catching a long pass from Kevin Butler, Stafford coughed up the ball and it dribbled into the end zone. Brandon Briggs made the recovery to pick up six free points.

Unfortunately, James could later relate.

In the fourth quarter, he was tackled at the 1 after a burst for 29 yards. Stafford then powered in for the score.

"Missed my chance on that one," James said.

He made no excuses, but this is the truth: Moments earlier, he'd been on the sideline while nursing a minor leg ding.

James said that his original favorite sport was basketball, but that he was nudged into football by his father, George James. His mother, Lisa Mapp, still rues that day.

"I'm terrified," she said, smiling, after the game. "You see how little he is?"

"Every time I get the ball, my mom's on the edge of her seat," Karon said. "My dad always tells her, 'Chill. He'll be OK.' I've never had a bad injury. Never had to miss a game."

Let's say two behemoths are bearing down on lil' Karon. His plan?

"Try to avoid them," he cracked. "By using my speed."

He added, "I do a lot of work in the weight room. At my size, I need to have as much strength as possible. I'm always lifting to make my legs stronger, so I can not only run away from guys but break tackles, too. I work on my upper body, really. Have to.

"My heroes are Barry Sanders and Darren Sproles. They were little guys who knew how to use their speed to their advantage and they made it all the way [to the NFL]."

Early, Gratz effectively traded punches with the Mustangs and even owned a 16-14 halftime lead thanks to rushing TDs by Aaron Rice (35 yards) and QB Montrell Stewart and pair of conversion runs by Rice.

The fourth quarter was a mess, though, as the Bulldogs lost four fumbles. Recoveries went to Saunders, Brian Gibson, Dillon Hood and James Glover.

Like about one-third of Dobbins' players, James, who lives near 18th and Lindley in Logan, attends the school with which it partners for football, A. Philip Randolph. He is enrolled in the auto body shop and if football's his first love, cars are undoubtedly 1-A.

"I like working on the outside of them. Keeping them nice looking," he said. "I'm pretty good at fixing dents. I sometimes do work on friends' cars from the neighborhood."

James' favorite car is a 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix. Because he has one?

"I desire one," he said, smiling. "It's nice on the inside and it's real fast. Like me. My grandpop [Jack Stratton] has one and he lets me drive it. I'm trying to get him to give it to me. He said it might happen if I work hard and do good in school."

Those who know Karon James are undoubtedly saying, "Consider it done."i