Second-string running backs are always just a play away from being the go-to guy.
    Claxton discovered that last week as leading rusher Shavez Mincey was injured in the Tigers’ game against Portal, but sophomore Khalil Brewton was more than up to the challenge — rushing for 105 yards after entering the game as a running back in the second quarter.
    “It’s something you always have to be ready for,” said Brewton, who regularly starts for Claxton on defense and played both ways over the final two quarters. “I get a lot of time running the ball at practice. When Shavez got hurt, it was just my job to step up.”
    Fans in the stands might not have known what to expect from Brewton, but his coach sure did. When Mincey’s injury proved to be minor, CHS coach Allen Cartwright celebrated not just the return of one offensive threat, but the emergence of another.
    “We were confident that Khalil could help us out,” said Cartwright. “Now, some of the guys are joking around with Shavez about losing his job. We’re competitive like that, but in a friendly way. That’s what will keep this team moving forward.”