Hopewell coach Dave Vestal doesn't think it is fair to compare Rushel Shell with Tony Dorsett ... and for good reason.

"Tony Dorsett is one of the top running backs in NFL history," Vestal said. "Rushel has a long way to go to match Tony's accomplishments. It's not appropriate to compare the two this early in Rushel's career. But I do have to admit that Rushel is off to a good start."

Shell rushed for 1,516 yards on 181 attempts last season, which averaged to 8.4 yards per carry. He scored 14 touchdowns, including one on a kickoff return.

"Hopewell has been fortunate to have some very good running backs, like Dorsett, Paul Posluszny, Jared Raines, and Mike Elmore, just to name a few," Vestal said. "Rushel is now on that list. How far Rushel moves up that list is up to him."

Shell, who is 5-feet-11, 210 pounds, opened the season with a promising performance, but didn't become Hopewell's feature back until the second half of the year. He carried the ball six times against Knoch in the opener and gained 87 yards, scoring on runs of 55, 8, and 15 yards.

Despite the fine debut, Shell stayed in a back-up role to senior Drew Howard in the next four games. During that stretch, he rushed for only 166 yards on 33 carries.

"Coach Vestal faced the tough decision of going with a promising freshman instead of a solid senior who had patiently waited for his chance," Blackhawk coach Joe Hamilton said, referring to Shell and Howard. "He used [Howard] until Shell forced his hand. Fortunately, he made that decision the week after we played Hopewell."

Shell's role changed in a week six non-conference game against Riverside. He matched his four-week total of 166 yards with only 11 rushing attempts and scored twice.

"Shell is just lightning," Hamilton said. "He has strong legs and can turn on the speed when he wants to."

Hopewell returned to Parkway Conference play in week seven and posted a 20-17 victory against West Allegheny. Shell rushed 28 times for 208 yards and scored on an 8-yard run.

"Shell made his first start against us," West Allegheny coach Bob Palko said. "He had one heck of a game. He is a very talented young man who has the measurables to be a great back. He's built like a man. He's no frail kid. I don't think durability will be an issue."

Palko faced a similar situation when his son, Tyler, became the starting quarterback for the Indians as a freshman. The difference is that Palko made his decision much earlier in the season.

"The thing I like the most is [Shell's] passion for football," Palko said. "He genuinely loves to play football. One thing he must be concerned with is all the [publicity] he's receiving. He proved what he could do against pretty good competition last year, but he still has to work hard. He can't rest on his laurels. That's the biggest fight."

Shell's workload reached a season-high in week eight in a 26-13 win against Montour. He carried the ball 36 times and finished with 216 yards and scored on a 5-yard run.

"Shell was on a roll when we played Hopewell," Montour coach Lou Cerro said. "He's a man. He's got a lot of talent. If he can keep his head on straight, the sky is the limit for him."

But his best performance came in week nine against Moon. Shell rushed for 281 yards on 20 carries and scored on runs of 76 and 13 yards. He also returned a kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown.

"I coached at Upper St. Clair last season, so I didn't get to see Shell live," said Moon coach Jon Miller, who spent the past six seasons as the Panthers' defensive coordinator. "But I am familiar with his reputation and did get to see him on tape. [As a defensive coordinator] I always enjoy the challenge of trying to stop a talented athlete such as Shell. It's never easy when you're dealing with somebody with his speed."

Shell had his fourth consecutive 200-yard rushing performance in the first round of the WPIAL Class AAA playoffs. The Vikings defeated Greensburg Salem, 37-27, and Shell led the way with 238 yards on 27 carries with touchdown runs of 63 and 45 yards.

"Shell is a big-time player," said Ambridge coach Neil Tkatch, who followed Shell's progress last year while serving as an assistant coach at South Side Beaver. "He's a game-breaker. Once he gets to the second level, he can run through you or around you. He's obviously a threat every time he touches the ball."

Hopewell's season came to a close in the quarterfinals, as three-time champion Thomas Jefferson recorded a 35-16 victory. But Shell made his presence known with a 154-yard performance on 20 carries. He scored hopewell's touchdowns on carries of 31 and 3 yards.

"We didn't play Hopewell, but I did see its playoff game with Thomas Jefferson," Chartiers Valley coach Chris Saluga said. "Shell was very impressive. He's fast, very physical, and plays with intensity."