Sitting in the Riverview locker room at halftime last Friday at Leechburg, a couple of Julian Garner's teammates approached the senior slotback and told him how close he was to a 100-yard rushing game.

In the second half Garner got his 100-yard game but before he could even celebrate his first career 100-yard game he found himself rapidly approaching 200.

When it was all said and done, Riverview won, 20-0, and Garner, who only had 61 yards in his first three games starting at slotback, broke out for 231 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

"He has become an important part of our offense," Riverview coach Todd Massack said.

"We knew all along that he is a tough hard-nosed runner. And as far as his number of carries increasing, we are going to do what is working. Right now, Julian carrying the football is working. He is not a real big kid but pound for pound he might be the toughest player on the team."

Heading into the season, Garner could have been expected to be a big part of the offense. Massack, now in his third-year at Riverview (2-2, 2-0), has switched from a power I, which the Raiders employed last year, to a spread offense. The spread offense is more suited for Garner, a 5-foot-7, 145-pound back. Yet through three games Garner only had eight carries.

After his 19-carry, 231-yard game Friday night, Riverview opponents can likely count on seeing more of Garner. And the good news for Garner is that next up is Carlynton tomorrow night. Garner's previous career high of 70 yards came against the Cougars last season.

"He didn't surprise anybody in our program," Massack said of Garner's performance against Leechburg.

"We knew he was able to put up numbers like that. I think because maybe he hasn't had the opportunity, he surprised some people outside of our program."

While this is Garner's first year starting on offense, he is a returning starter in the defensive secondary where he lines up at cornerback.

Garner has had his most success on the "jet sweep play" out of the shotgun offense. On the jet sweep Garner is lined up at his normal slotback position and he goes in motion before the snap. He passes in front of the quarterback as the ball is snapped and the quarterback has the option to hand it off to him.

"We run a lot with the jet sweep and that is the role we have for him and the jet sweep is an important play in our offense," Massack said.

"We had him slated to be in that spot this season and we thought he was going to be able to handle it and he has."

A good indication of how well the ball fake play is working is taking a look at the Riverview game film.

"You can see on the tapes, the camera man follows the wrong guy," Garner said. "This spread offense is a better fit for us."

Garner and his coach are in a unique situation. Massack's grandfather, the late Elmer Gross, coached Garner's grandfather back at Oakmont High School in the 1950s. Oakmont and Verona merged in 1971 to form Riverview.

Although the offense has changed this season, the start to conference play has been the same for Riverview. For the fourth consecutive year, the Raiders are off to a 2-0 start in the Eastern Conference.

The part Massack would like to see change is what his team does after that 2-0 conference start. Since taking over before the 2007 season, Massack's teams have gone 1-10 combined after opening conference play against Wilkinsburg and Leechburg.

To carry over the momentum built up with the two wins, Riverview will have to count on Garner along with quarterbacking duo Terrel Craighead and Jacob Milberger and receiver Brandon Seachrist.

Craighead (179 yards), Seachrist (110 yards) and Milberger (99 yards) are behind Garner in total rushing yards this season.

In the passing game Milberger has passed for 124 yards while Craighhead has thrown for 94 yards. Seachrist is the leading receiver on the team with 9 receptions for 123 yards.

n What: Riverview at Carlynton.

n When: 7:30 p.m. tomorrow.

n Where: Honus Wagner Field, Carnegie.

n The skinny: The Raiders are 2-0 in the Class A Eastern Conference and are tied with Avonworth and North Catholic for first place.

Mike White's "High School Sports Edition" videos are featured exclusively on PG+, a members-only web site from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.