How did Smith help Furness, down by 17-6 at halftime, claim a 24-17 division victory over Jules Mastbaum Tech?
Turned 23 carries into 102 yards and a touchdown. Completed four passes for 79 yards and two more scores. Recovered a first-quarter fumble. Made a fourth-quarter interception. And forced a fumble, thanks to a powerful hit on a receiver, with 1 minute, 35 seconds remaining (recovery to Tyriek Gilliard), that enabled the Falcons to clinch the win.
When asked which moment he liked the best, Smith said, "A lot of them."
He smiled and added, "I said that another time you interviewed me, too. Remember?"
Smith and media attention go 'way back. This is his fourth season of filling a prominent role. Not that it phases him.
"Doesn't seem like that long ago," he said. "Like yesterday, really. The time flew by. I went through some growing pains along the way. But I'm glad I chose the school I did."
Like many of Furness' prominent players, Smith attends Palumbo. Those two and Franklin Learning Center form a combo squad. When Smith made his debut, the Falcons were merely a second-year varsity program. So, what does he remember?
"That first one was right on this field," he said. "We beat Fels, and I had 25 carries for 130 yards. To have a 100-yard game in my first game as a freshman, that was pretty cool."
Smith also remembered dropping 240 yards on Prep Charter later that season. But now, the numbers might as well be hieroglyphics.
"I can't remember any [recent stuff]," Smith said. "I'm not too impressed with stats anymore. We have a young team, and the coaches are doing a great job of bringing us along, and all I want to do is help us do as great as we possibly can."
Plus, the number that's now the most important in Sharif Smith's life has nothing to do with yards gained.
