Brian Regan lets his haircut do the talking.
In anticipation of the last game of his career, the Cherry Hill East running back is sporting a red-tinged Mohawk with a star carved into one side of his head and racing stripes on the other.
"I had to do something special," Regan said as Cherry Hill East prepared for Wednesday night's showdown with Cherry Hill West in the annual crosstown Thanksgiving weekend game.
Coiffure aside, Regan isn't loud, flashy, or demonstrative. He runs for a lot of yards. He scores a lot of touchdowns. He just doesn't engage in a lot of celebrations.
"Brian is very, very quiet," Cherry Hill East coach Tom Coen said. "He's an absolute delight to coach. He's a team player all the way."
The 5-foot-10, 190-pound Regan enters his final game on the brink of setting the Cherry Hill East record for rushing yards in a season. He has 1,386, just 54 shy of the mark of 1,440 set by Mike Drake in 2006.
Typically, Regan didn't set his sights on the record at the start of this season, and he's not overly concerned about getting there in his last game.
"I didn't even know what the record was," said Regan, who has scored 15 touchdowns. "It's nothing that I'll think about during the game. After the season, it would feel good to have the record."
Regan said if he sets the record, the credit will belong to Cherry Hill East's offensive line of Jonni Cassano, Tyler Feldman, Joe Narducci, Johnie Jackson, and Tyler Drob.
"They aren't the biggest guys around, but they are great offensive linemen," Regan said. "They have skills. They've been a huge part of the yards that I've gained."
Regan's play has helped Cherry Hill East record one of the best seasons in the recent history of the program. The Cougars are 6-3, including victories over perennial powers Cherokee and Washington Township.
In a 57-56 win over Cherokee on Nov. 5, Regan ran for 280 yards and three touchdowns.
"When you look at the kinds of teams we've been playing, you appreciate what he's been able to do even more," Coen said.
Regan and the 18 other seniors in the program want to finish strong with a victory over Cherry Hill West. Not only would that give the Cougars a 7-3 record, it would snap a four-game losing streak against their rivals.
"Our class is 0-3, so it would mean a lot," Regan said. "And 7-3 looks a lot better than 6-4."
