Kat senior Matthew Powledge shows hard work pays off
11/14/2009 8:00:00 AM | Football
By Cody Stark, Huntsville Item
There are guys that have all the talent in the world, but never do anything with it. There are also guys who might not be the most talented, but succeed in everything they do because they have something inside them that can't be taught.
Sam Houston State senior fullback Matthew Powledge is that latter. When the former Hornet standout graduated from Huntsville High School in 2004, there weren't any colleges knocking down his door.
It didn't matter that he was an all-district linebacker in one of the toughest leagues in the state when the Hornets battled the likes of Lufkin, The Woodlands and Klein Collins.
But because Powledge loved playing football so much and had the drive to chase down his dream, he was determined to catch on somewhere. He walked on at Sam Houston State and eventually earned some scholarship money following his sophomore year.
"I don't know why, but every since I was a kid I always tried to be the one who hustled and always worked the hardest," Powledge said. "I think it was my parents, the way they raised me to be the hardest worker. It just carries over out here. I just care so much about this stuff."
The best way to describe Powledge would be to go back to his senior year at Huntsville. Head coach Mitchell Coey had just taken over a program that was really struggling and it didn't help that the Hornets had moved up the Class 5A.
It was a long season. Huntsville took its share of bumps, saw a lot of homecoming games and it looked like an 0-10 finish was in the works.
But with a determined group of seniors led by the scrappy Powledge, the Hornets pulled off a huge upset and knocked off Klein, which was coming off a win over state-ranked The Woodlands, for their only victory of the season.
As bad as that season was going, the Hornets never gave up and battled until the end. There weren't as many blowouts as everyone outside the program had expected. Huntsville showed a lot of grit, just like its senior leader.
"That senior year when we had (Powledge), he was our go-to guy," Coey said. "In short yardage, we knew he was going to give us everything he had to get it. He was limited in ability, but he has a big heart and desire to get the job done. You can't say enough good things about that guy.
"Every week we knew what we were going to get from him. He was a 110-percent guy. He was a warrior."
It was that type of effort that earned Powledge the 110 percent Award, which is given to the Hornets' most valuable player.
Powledge brought that mentality to Sam Houston. He redshirted his freshman season as a scout-team linebacker, but moved to fullback in 2006.
Powledge took on a big role in the Bearkats' lineup last season. He was used primarily as a blocker, helping running back James Aston rush for 886 yards and 11 touchdowns.
For his effort, Powledge was an honorable mention All-Southland Conference selection. Not bad for a guy who had to go out and do his own recruiting to get an opportunity.
"The first thing I would say is that he is an unbelievable Bearkat. No one cares more about this program than Matt Powledge," SHSU head coach Todd Whitten said. "He has made plays for us. He has made plays in the kicking game and he is a great fullback. He is a high, high character young man and is just a guy who is going to do great things in life."
Before this season started, Powledge said he often thought about how things would go. He began to think what he would do if his final season ended early because of an injury.
That nightmare almost became reality. In the first half of the Bearkats' 56-3 loss at Tulsa, Powledge tore his ACL. He knew right when it happened and all he could think about was jumping up and trying to make it to the sideline.
Once he got there, he sat down on the bench. He figured since he had made it that far that he could still play. He got a knee sleeve and finished the game.
Powledge had to sit out the next three games, but because of his work ethic, he put off surgery, pushed himself in rehab and was cleared to come back against Stephen F. Austin.
"I have been watching football for so long that I have seen those type of stories when guys tear their ACLs and are done for the year," Powledge said. "I never wanted to be one of those guys that got carted off the field. I was going to crawl to the sideline if I had to.
"I was so happy when they said I could keep playing if I took some time off. It was just tough watching from the sideline because I felt that on some of those plays I could have maybe made a difference."
Powledge has been limited to playing only special teams since his return, but that doesn't matter to him as long as he is part of the action when he and 26 other seniors play their final home game of the season today against Central Arkansas.
He just loves playing football and accepts any role he is given. That is one of the many reasons why he is the kind of player coaches love to have on their team.
"Give me 50 of him and I'll take it any day," Coey said.
Tickets for Saturday's Sam Houston football game with Central Arkansas are $25 for reserved chairback seats and $15 for general admission. Tickets are on sale now on-line.
For more information about attending Bearkat home sports events, go on-line to www.gobearkats.com or contact the Sam Houston athletic ticket office located in the Ron Mafrige Field House at Bowers Stadium. Ticket office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The ticket office telephone number is 936 294-1729
