Lehman coaches didn’t even know if Levi Medley would be attending the school this year, but the running back has piled up more than 400 rushing yards. (photo by David Somoneaux)

by Mark Caul

At five-foot-seven inches tall, admittedly Levi Medley doesn’t look much like a savior.
And although his first carry from scrimmage as a varsity player wasn’t a thing of beauty – he fumbled after ripping through the Crockett defense for a 13-yard gain – you knew Medley was going to be an impact player for the Lobos this season.
The 155-pound junior transfer from Seymour, Tennessee – which is located about 15 miles from Knoxville – has quickly become the primary focus for opposing defenses after he rushed for nearly 350 yards in his first two games as a Lobo.
Lehman head coach Steve Davis saw what ability Medley had early in the summer during the 7-on-7 passing league but had no idea the elusive back would be this effective in the Lobo backfield.
Medley looked unstoppable early on against Hays Friday night, but an ankle injury suffered with his team leading in the second quarter limited his carries the rest of the way and he finished with only 74 yards on the ground in the Lobo loss.
“Levi is a good kid and a very hard worker,” Davis said. “He has the ability to see the hole before it develops and accelerate right through it. That’s something you don’t teach. He has given us a new dimension at tailback. He can score from anywhere on the field.”
Ironically enough, Medley almost didn’t get the chance to showcase his skills at Lehman after his father, who still lives in Tennessee, decided Levi would be better off back home.
So after making a bunch of new friends and becoming a leader at Lehman, Medley packed up and headed back home to Seymour right before the school year began.
“It was kind of hard for me to make the adjustment of living in Texas, meeting new teammates and trying to learn a new offense,” Medley said. “Then once I started to get comfortable, my dad wanted me to move back in with him. It was a little confusing. I didn’t know what to tell Coach Davis and my teammates.”
Medley was a member of the varsity team at Seymour High as a sophomore last season and was used primarily as a backup quarterback and cornerback on a team that finished second in district play.
But strangely enough, after he spent two weeks in Tennessee, Medley resurfaced on the Lehman campus.
“We had no idea what was going on with Levi or whether he would be back or not,” said Davis. “But we were in the middle of wrapping up one of our final two-a-day practices and he just showed up.”
Medley told his father that he found a new home at Lehman. Levi decided that he wanted to stick with the original game plan and live with his mother in Texas.
“I told my dad that I liked it here and that I wanted to stay and see where it would take me,” Medley said. “He didn’t really like it at first but then he finally agreed.”
Medley plans to send his father videotapes of each game as soon as he can.
“I want him to feel like he’s still part of my life because he is a big reason why I started playing football,” said Medley. “He’s excited for me.”
From that point, Medley’s journey as a Lobo began on the junior varsity squad.
“Coach Davis wanted me to start off with the JV because he was concerned about my conditioning,” Medley said. “It was hard not to be able to go out there and compete on Friday nights but it pushed me to get into game shape because I wanted to prove to the coaches that I was ready to play at the varsity level.”
He was ready the moment he got his chance.
On Lehman’s first play from scrimmage against Crockett, Medley took a handoff from Lehman quarterback Matt Angiuano and scampered down the sidelines for a big gain. The next two carries would generate 45 yards and the Lobos appeared to have their best breakaway back since Jacob Torres shattered virtually every Lehman rushing record in his senior season in 2009.
Torres, who was in attendance at the Lehman-Hays football showdown last week, believes that Medley has all the tools to follow in his footsteps.
“Levi is fast and he knows how to get to the holes,” Torres said. “He has done a good job of learning Coach Davis’ system and getting comfortable with his teammates.”
Medley finished about 25 yards short of Torres’ single-game rushing total of 228 a few weeks ago against Jefferson, including a spectacular 80-yard run that impressed a couple of his teammates.
“I knew he was fast during 7-on-7, but we all couldn’t believe at how quick he moves through the hole and gets past people,” said linebacker Matt Riojas. “He gives our offense another option.”
Nobody has benefited more from Medley’s play than Anguiano, who struggled through a four-interception performance in the season opener against St. Michael’s without the speedster in the backfield.
“When Levi started  doing his thing, we were able to open up the offense a lot more and now we have a lot more options,” said Anguiano. “He takes the pressure off of me because I haven’t had to try and force passes.”
Medley is hoping to continue to contribute in any way he can to help the Lobos secure their first ever playoff berth in football.
“It was disappointing to have been hurt when my team needed me most against Hays,” Medley said. “But we have to continue to get better and stay focused. The talent is definitely here.”
Davis is hoping that Medley’s work ethic will continue to pay off for a Lobo team that is still seeking its first-ever trip to the postseason.
“Levi is becoming one of the leaders of this team and he is certainly a big part of our offense,” Davis said. “There’s no telling where he would be had he participated in two-a-days. We’re excited to have him on our side.”
Medley said he’s happy with his decision to showcase his skills in the state where high school football is king
“I always heard about how big football was here in Texas,” Medley said. “The fans here are great and I’m definitely enjoying myself so far.”