Sun Player of the Week: Moapa Valley’s Bodily impresses on and off the field

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Thursday, Oct. 9, 2014 | 2 a.m.

Kaleb Bodily had one of those football games last week most can only dream of. He posted numbers typically reserved for those playing video games.

The Moapa Valley High senior running back had nine carries for 218 yards and three touchdowns to lead the undefeated Pirates (6-0) to a 49-0 victory against Del Sol and earn the Sun’s weekly Player of the Week award.

The award isn’t necessarily designed for an established player or someone committed to a Division I school. Rather, it is for those talented athletes under the radar who deserve recognition for their efforts.

While he rushed for 10 touchdowns and 681 yards in 2013 as a junior, Bodily didn’t become the Pirates’ full-time starter until the end of the season and is often overshadowed because of his 5-foot-8, 160-pound frame.

But through six games Bodily has rushed for 713 yards and nine touchdowns on 69 carries, quickly becoming one of Moapa Valley’s best players. Against Del Sol, he raced for a 96-yard touchdown run, showing he deserves to be mentioned in the same conversation as other standout Division I-A running backs such as Mojave’s Ty Flanagan and Sierra Vista’s Maliek Broady.

“We set the edge for him and he did the rest. He outraced everyone,” Moapa Valley coach Brent Lewis said of the touchdown runs. “He has steadily improved with every game. He’s just solid.”

Bodily adds a much-needed dimension to Moapa Valley’s offense. The Pirates’ attack is led by quarterback Zach Hymas, who has a scholarship offer from Weber State and has passed 1,032 yards and 13 touchdowns with just one interception.

To win a state championship, though, the Pirates need offensive balance. Enter Bodily.

“We are a very diverse team,” he said. “You have to be able to have a run game. If you don’t have a run game, your pass game won’t work. A lot of teams in Las Vegas have great athletes, but they are easy to stop because (the offense they play in) is one-sided.”

Bodily’s best performances haven’t been limited to the football field.

He has a 4.6 weighted grade point average and hasn’t earned less than an A in a high school class. He’s in the process of applying for the Naval Academy.

“I always wanted to go into the military,” he said. “(The academy) has really attracted me. It’s the challenge and competitiveness of it.”

Ray Brewer can be reached at 702-990-2662 or [email protected]. Follow Ray on Twitter at twitter.com/raybrewer21