Tuesday morning quarterbacking: Runner has Tech running toward success

James Runner is all in. All the time.And he’s always been that way, such as when he was performing in the Optimistic Youth theater group while he was in high school at the same time he was playing football for Lynn Classical, and it’s the same way now, as the head coach of the Lynn Tech football team.”I’m an enthusiastic coach,” he says, “and I can’t say I’m an easy coach. I bust chops sometimes. But if I make a mistake, I’ll run my laps right along with (my players).”Case in point. The 4-0 Tigers won a game over North Shore Voke in Week 2, but they had 13 penalties for 105 yards. That was definitely not to Runner’s liking.”So that week in practice, they had to do 105 pushups ? one for every yard,” he said. “I did them right along with them. I’m in shape. I pride myself in being in shape.”What was the point?”They understood,” said Runner, “that we win together, lose together, and get penalties together.”Saturday night, the Tigers defeated Shawsheen – last year’s Division 4 Super Bowl champion – and cut the flags down to a more manageable five.Runner’s enthusiastic style reminds you of a couple of other coaches who wear their passion on their sleeves. One is Marvin Avery, the basketball coach at Tech. The other is Mike Stellato, who coached St. Mary’s to the only Super Bowl appearance (and title) in its history.And if he reminds one of Stellato, that’s no coincidence. Runner was on the staff that won that Super Bowl, and considers Stellato his most influential mentor.”I learned a lot from Mike,” Runner says. “But the biggest thing I learned is that regardless of wins and losses, these kids are student-athletes first.”Runner teaches at the school (Clark Street Middle School in Chelsea) where Stellato – who is head coach at Chelsea High – is dean of students. As such, they see each other every day and, no doubt, compare notes.”When I got this job, his was the first team we scrimmaged,” Runner said. “I wanted to make sure I got off on the right foot. I was lucky enough to know him, and we picked up a regular-season game too (a game Tech won this year).”When the game was over, we shook each other’s hands and gave each other hugs,” he said. “I knew his team was in a rebuilding year. He knew what I had. But we still communicated. We talk all the time. He’s my mentor, hands down.”Runner notes that St. Mary’s didn’t win a game during Stellato’s first two seasons yet he walked out the door with a Super Bowl ring. His players bought into what he told them, even when the going got rough.Runner had a similar experience at Tech last season.”We won our first two games, but had them taken away from us (via forfeit),” he said. “It got tough after that, but they bought into what I was telling them. They stuck with me then, and they’re sticking with me this year. And it’s growing.”Quick hits: Bishop Fenwick appears to have a bona fide star in the making on its team with Lynn’s Rufus Rushins (who was on last year’s Lynn Chargers team that fell a game short of its league title). Perhaps taking his name a little too literally, Rushins rushed for 177 yards last week in the Crusaders’ win over Georgetown ? Dan Lauria appears to be filling the void in Revere left by the graduation of Trae Weathers quite nicely. He scored both touchdowns in Friday’s 14-0 win over Salem ? Teams that face St. Mary’s now have to worry about a double-headed hydra, with Todd Collier and Cory Donahue ? Losers of two straight, English must now turn its attention to Malden, which defeated Classical two weeks ago and beat Bedford last week ? If you’re looking for a game to circle on your calendar, circle Saturday, Nov. 5, at Blocksidge Field when Swampscott hosts Beverly. It’ll be huge, and might even decide the NEC/CAL Tier 2 title.