Cyrus Dooley Brings The Thunder Back To Brandon

The Brandon Eagles like to run the football. It's a cold, hard fact. They have one of the steepest run-to-pass ratios in the county. It's no secret what the Eagles are going to do each week. Senior running back Tyrell Garner is doing just what was expected of him. However, the surprise this year is the emergence of sophomore running back Cyrus Dooley.

Dooley burst onto the scene during Brandon's 34-0 romp over district rival Newsome. In that game, Dooley carried the ball 16 times for 149 yards and three touchdowns. He recalls the 30-yard touchdown run he made in the game.

"It was a counter play designed to go up the middle. We started right and all the linebackers flowed right. I saw a block on the left and cut it back. By then no one could stop me," said Dooley. "I always knew I had potential to do something great."

Dooley has very quickly emerged as the thunder of the thunder-and-lightning package that is the Eagle rushing attack. As a sophomore, he is about 5 feet 10 inches and tips the scale over 210 pounds. He has a bruising, relentless running style, not unlike that of former Buccaneer Mike Alstott, who he is referred to as by his teammates.

"He's a heck of a running back," said Dooley who models his game after the future hall-of-famer.

However, there was a time when it looked as though Dooley would never get to play high school football.

Things looked great as a child. He played youth league football originally with the Temple Terrance Wildcats. Dooley did not know at the time but found out later that he was on the same Wildcat team with current teammate Tryell Garner.

Dooley moved to Auburndale with his family shortly after and he took up youth football with the Auburndale Bulls. He was the star running back of the team that went undefeated all four years Dooley played. He credits then coach Tony Anderson with, "teaching me how to be a running back."

However, Dooley's already tough situation at home collapsed when his mother was had a run-in with the law. Dooley's biological father was never a significant part of his life so when his mother was incarcerated, he was left in foster care.

"I guess I had a lot of anger at that time. I always had to have it my way and that led to a lot of trouble for me," he said.

Dooley spent time at two different alternative schools before a father figure, and person he calls "dad" to this day, John Troupe, stepped in.

"He's always looked after us," said Dooley.

Troupe got Dooley out of foster care and alternative school and settled in the Brandon area. Dooley himself had a moment of realization after he made the Varsity Eagles team his freshman year.

"I grew up," he said. "I started to realize things about the way I was acting."

Dooley realized the potential he put at risk when he acted out of anger.

"I use it as motivation now," he said.

And his situation at home has stabilzed to a certain degree. He now lives with Troupe and his biological mother in Brandon. His mom now comes to games with an air horn to cheer on her boy.

"I always know mom is up there when I hear that horn," Dooley said.