Like his father and grandfather, Rushel Shell doesn't have a middle name or initial. He is simply Rushel Shell III.

But this fall, the youngest Rushel Shell seems to have picked up an identifiable four-word moniker. It goes like this:

Rushel Shell -- The Next Great One.

Maybe it's unfair to bestow future greatness on a youngster not old enough to drive. But that's what can happen when you are only a freshman in high school and gain 1,362 yards in 10 games against tough WPIAL Class AAA competition. Fans call you a future great when you rush for more than 200 yards in three consecutive games.

People start throwing around the "g" word when they see a 5-foot-11, 209-pound 15-year-old who can run a 40-yard dash in 4.45 seconds and bench press 290 pounds. Opposing coaches' jaws drop when they see a youngster barrel through some defenders and speed past others.

Shell has been all that for Hopewell High School. And, by the way, his first name is pronounced just like "Russell." Get used to it because you'll probably be hearing it a lot in WPIAL football the next few years.

Shell has helped Hopewell to a spot in the WPIAL quarterfinals tonight against mighty Thomas Jefferson, a team that has won 35 games in a row against WPIAL competition and been known to feast on top running backs for dinner. But no matter what happens against Thomas Jefferson, Shell has had an unforgettable season.

"I don't have enough superlatives for the kid," Montour coach Lou Cerro said.

Shell torched Cerro's team for 220 yards in a game this season.

"He has the body of an 18-year-old already and he's only going to get bigger, stronger and faster," Cerro said. "If he stays healthy, he's going to shatter every record in the WPIAL. I really believe that."

West Allegheny coach Bob Palko said, "I don't think we should anoint him this or that yet. But I will tell you this much: Right now, he's awesome and absolutely he has a chance to be special."

All the success is surprising to Shell. Sure, he was tremendous on Hopewell's junior-high team last year, but he came into his freshman year with modest expectations.

"I thought I'd get the ball once in a while and just be a small contributor to the team," Shell said.

Hopewell coach Dave Vestal knew of Shell's tremendous athletic ability and asked him to join the varsity for summer workouts. Vestal watched closely to see, more than anything, Shell's attitude and how well he was accepted by other players.

"We'd notice he would win every sprint," Vestal said. "His teammates seemed to accept him like he was a senior."

Vestal knew he might have a budding star on his hands, but he brought Shell along slowly. In the first five games, Shell carried the ball a total of 39 times, as senior Drew Howard was the featured running back. Howard had 79 carries and 390 yards in the first five games.

But it got to the point where Vestal felt he had to make Shell the featured back. In the past five games, Shell has 122 carries and 1,109 yards. Howard has had only 24 carries in the past five games.

"I really didn't expect to do this well," Shell said, with a laugh.

You won't find a freshman in WPIAL history who has done this well against Class AAA or AAAA competition. Matt Gavrish, a 1998 Penn-Trafford graduate, is the all-time leading rusher in WPIAL AAAA with 6,512 yards. He had 1,162 yards in 10 games as a freshman.

Jason Barr, a 1994 McGuffey graduate, is Class AAA's all-time leader with 5,749 yards. He wasn't close to 1,000 as a freshman.

Not North Hills' LaVar Arrington, not Belle Vernon's Jason Murray and not Connellsville's Marcus Furman had a freshman season like Shell. All three ran for more than 4,000 yards in their career.

Fort Cherry's Mike Vernillo is the WPIAL's all-time leading rusher, regardless of classification, with 7,646 yards. He had 1,613 as a freshman in 11 games. After 10 games, he had 1,598 on 198 attempts (8.1 average). But Vernillo got his yardage against Class A schools.

Shell has his 1,362 yards on 161 attempts (8.5 average) and played in one of the toughest conferences (Parkway) in the WPIAL.

"What he has that is so different is that he's so physical," Palko said. "To be that physical of a player at this age is impressive. He's a freshman in high school who has college measurables.

"When we played him, the thing I liked about him was he didn't say one word during the game and he was so genuinely jubilant and excited after the game. Not cocky.

"A lot of kids nowadays want to point a finger and say 'Ha ha' after they beat you. It was kind of refreshing to see how mature he was and how he handled himself."

Shell lives with his mother, Toni Zuccaro, and younger brother, Darrian Zuccaro. His father and older brother, Marcus Shell, live in Beaver Falls. Rushel said he has been an honor roll student for years.

Shell said he is like most kids his age. He likes to hang out with friends, play video games, lift weights and eat chicken wings (he insists he ate 82 at a wing-eating contest with a few classmates).

But when Shell puts on the blue and gold Hopewell uniform, ordinary stops and extraordinary begins. Why do you think some major-college coaches have already been in contact with Vestal? They can't call Shell yet ... or they would.

Don't be surprised if Shell gets scholarship offers by next summer.

"I'm not saying I'm going to school at these places, but I like Ohio State, Penn State and USC," Shell said.

He hears people say he could be the next great running back from Western Pennsylvania, which is not known for producing many big-time college running backs.

Every time Shell steps on the Hopewell field, he sees greatness. The Vikings' home is called Tony Dorsett Stadium. A sign of the former Hopewell great hangs underneath the scoreboard.

"A lot of people tell me how good I can be. It puts a lot of pressure on you," he said.

Ask Shell who his favorite athlete is in all of sports, and he doesn't hesitate before answering Terrelle Pryor, the former Jeannette star now at Ohio State. Shell also is reputed to be a pretty good basketball player who will see varsity time as a freshman.

"He can dunk a ball like it's nothing," Vestal said.

But football will most likely be his best sport.

"I think a lot of his future will depend on how fast he gets," Palko said.

Shell ran a 4.45 in the 40 this summer at Penn State's camp. He also attended Pitt's camp.

"The other thing you just never know about is what will happen off the field," Palko said. "But I'll tell you this much. I wish I had him."

Shell is known for dressing sharply in school.

"He has a good support group around him with coaches and his family," Vestal said. "He has a lot of personality. He's a lot of fun to be around, but he knows when to focus, too."

Will greatness come into focus the next few years?