By Don Ketchum

The maturation of Dimitri O’Brien continues as a running back. He and his Phoenix Valley Lutheran teammates are hopeful that the experience will be able to help the team defeat host Superior on Saturday (Oct. 30) in the Class 1A eight-man quarterfinals. Kickoff is 2 p.m.

The other quarterfinal games are on Friday (Oct. 29) at 7 p.m.: Mayer at Bagdad, defending champion Joseph City at St. David and Elfrida Valley Union at Heber Mogollon.

O’Brien, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound junior, has rushed for 1,705 yards and 25 touchdowns. He has completed 6 of 11 passes for 237 yards and two touchdowns out of the Wildcat formation. And he has caught 8 passes for 83 yards.

Valley Lutheran coach Bob Wolf has worked with O’Brien all three years.

“As a freshman, we had him step in to the varsity situation, which you can have with a smaller team (nearly two dozen), and last year, we watched him grow in terms of a maturity level and developing into a reliable player,’’ Wolf said.

A senior, Matt Gabrielson, had about three-fourths of the touches of the ball for Valley Lutheran last season. But a hand injury he suffered earlier in the season began to bother him late, and O’Brien more or less took over.

O’Brien was what Wolf called “a dancer’’ as a young player. He had good speed (he also runs track) but ran too much stop and go, impeding his progress.

“Now he is more of a hard runner, more explosive,’’ Wolf said.

The offensive line is stronger this year and a bit more depth has allowed Wolf, to keep O’Brien, also a defensive back, off the field on defense most of the time.

Earlier this season, O’Brien was named the Arizona Cardinals’ High School Player of the Week after a big game against Tucson Tanque Verde. The Cardinals’ mascot and team officials were on hand to honor O’Brien at a school assembly.

Because the team lost a number of key offensive players to graduation, the returning group of players wasn’t quite sure how things would go in 2010, O’Brien said.

“We continued to work hard and then we stepped up and did the job,’’ O’Brien said. “It was a great feeling, and we’ve been able to carry it over the rest of the season.’’

He admitted he rarely lifted weights as a young player, but now lifts regularly to stay in football shape.

“It’s another part of the commitment you have to have,’’ he said.

O’Brien said he is more of a first-half player, but is ready to go the full distance if necessary.

He studies opponents more and said he is better at reading his teammates’ blocks.

“The line has made a lot of progress. They have made a huge adjustment,’’ he said.

He agreed with Wolf’s assessment of his early running style and how he now is more of a complete runner.

“I hit the hole and I see the linebackers. I hit them, try to make them timid, then I bounce outside,’’ he said.

There also is enjoyment in running the Wildcat formation, out of which O’Brien gets to throw.

“It feels good to take control like that,’’ he said.

He would like to have his team maintain control for a few more weeks.