WALES — Cody DePuy isn’t the fastest running back in the Campbell Conference Class C division, but that doesn’t prevent him from getting to the outside for some big gains in open space. At 170 pounds, the Oak Hill senior is far from the biggest back as well, but it doesn’t stop him from running between the tackles for some tough runs.

DePuy isn’t a lot of things for the Raiders, but this much is certain: If he’s not the best running back in the conference, he’s at least in the conversation.

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IMPACT PLAYER: Oak Hill running back Cody DePuy has rushed for 1,027 yards and 14 touchdowns this season. He came into the season expecting to share the tailback job, but earned the trust of coach Dave Wing early in the season. Staff photo by Joe Phelan

“It wasn’t on the top of my goals,” DePuy said. “My goals were to run hard this year and break 1,000 yards.”

He’s done both with one important regular-season game against Maranacook remaining.

The Raiders (3-4) visit Readfield on Friday to play Maranacook (6-1) in a game that has playoff implications for both teams.

And as DePuy goes, so too go the Raiders.

“He’s immense,” Oak Hill coach Dave Wing said. “He’s just tremendous. But we knew he’d be this good. He’s not lightning-fast, but he’s such a workhorse. I’m biased, but I think he’s the best running back in the conference. This has been his breakout year.”

DePuy has rushed for 1,027 yards this season and 14 touchdowns. Both rank him near the top of the conference. Both also have kept the Radiers in the playoff hunt.

“He’s had a great season,” senior captain Zach Leeman, a lineman, said. “He’s motivated big-time. He just runs hard all the time. He’s tough to stop.”

Last season, DePuy played behind starting running back/fullback Josh Allen, who also topped 1,000 yards.

He played sparingly, mostly to spell Allen, and bided his time to become the team’s top tailback. He got his chance this season.

“Josh Allen got all the reps last year,” DePuy said. “I knew my time would come, but I had to be patient. I just had to work hard in the offseason. I was really excited to get this opportunity. I just really wanted to run the ball.”

DePuy came into the season expecting to share the load with Joel Wells and fullback Kyle Flaherty. But plans changed when he showed Wing that he could handle a full workload.

In a season-opening 24-14 loss to Lisbon, DePuy rushed for 134 yards and a touchdown. The performance, against a tough Greyhounds defense, set the tone for the rest of the season. He’s rushed for at least 100 yards in all but one game, a 51-7 loss to Yarmouth on Sept. 9.

“I put some pressure on myself,” DePuy said, “but not too much. I put just enough pressure on me to keep myself ready. In the first game against Lisbon, I saw the potential in myself.”

So, too, did Wing.

“He put on 15 pounds in the offseason,” Wing said. “He’s only up to about 170, but he got stronger. He’s a workout guy, and it showed right away.”

Leeman said DePuy changed his running style a bit this season.

“He doesn’t juke as much now,” he said. “He runs straight at them. He’s tough. He’s worked hard to be in this position.”

He’s made an impression in the conference, in which Yarmouth running back Anders Overhaug is often hailed as the top back.

Winthrop coach Joel Stoneton said DePuy ranks among the elite, with Luke Emery (Maranacook) and Bryan Blackman (Dirigo) also in the mix.

“(DePuy) is running behind a great line,” Stoneton said. “I know we couldn’t tackle him, though. He was explosive to the edge. As far as running backs his size, he can beat the outside (linebacker) to the outside. He’s defintely in the top three. You can make an argument for any of those guys.”

Bill Stewart — 621-5640

bstewart@centralmaine.com

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