It’s cliché to say that “Actions speak louder than words”, but that saying certainly applies to El Paso Americas running back Josh Fields. The senior has emerged as the second leading rusher in the state, rushing for 1,535 yards and 17 touchdowns.
“I’ve never been on a run like this,” Fields said, “Hopefully, I can continue it.”
The running back who says he models his game after Dallas Cowboys rookie star Ezekiel Elliott has helped guide the Trail Blazers to a 3-0 start in District 1-6A and 5-1 overall. This includes a 464 yard rushing performance against El Paso Coronado back in September, breaking an El Paso record for most yards in a single game. As talented of a player that Fields is, it’s what he does he does for his team that stands out.
“He’s definitely important,” said Americas head coach Patrick Melton, “The fact that everybody is going to key in on him opens up a lot of things in the game plan for other playmakers such as Jacob Monarez, Tremaine Henderson, Alexis Rubio and other guys to make big plays for us.”
Fields also is following a family legacy at Americas. His older brother, Jack, was also a standout with the Blazers, rushing for close to 4,800 yards and 49 touchdowns. He went on to continue his playing career at Boise State. As Josh finishes his high school career, he tries to follow his older brother’s advice every day on the field.
“Keep working hard, stay humble, and be a better leader,” Fields said. “They’re two totally different kids,” Melton said, “Even though they come from the same upbringing, they bring different skill sets for us. They’ve been a joy to coach.”
Fields currently sits behind El Paso Parkland running back Deion Hankins, who currently leads the state in rushing. In other words, a running back from El Paso is first and second in total rushing yards. According to Melton, this is part of a larger trend that he hopes will help his team succeed.
“We’re (El Paso) starting to get the respect that we deserve in football. Things have been changing and it’s good we have that spotlight. However, the one stat that stands out it to us is the number of wins we have.”
According to Josh, Jack has been very helpful in navigating the recruiting trail. So far, he has offers from UTEP and New Mexico, but he also says that Texas Tech and Colorado have also shown interest in him. He hasn’t decided yet on where he’ll be heading, but Fields knows what he’s looking for when it comes to choosing a school.
“Just the family,” Fields said, “I’m going to be the one there so I’m just looking at everything from teammates to atmosphere and the fan base.”
Melton says that with his family going through the recruiting process with Jack in 2012 has helped make the process easier. But, as the team gets set to face Eastwood in a pivotal showdown, Melton wants his mind focused on this season for the Blazers.
“I’ve been telling him don’t worry about the recruiting process,” he said, “You’ve already got some offers in the bank so let’s focus on the team and your teammates and focus on doing the best he can for us here.”
