Eagle running back Dillon Lukehart earns some of his 353 yards last week against Highland. (Photo by Mike Gregory)

EAGLE - When Dillon Lukehart went to his first youth soccer practice as a second grader, his coach had a special message for his mother when she came to pick him up: "Don't bring Dillon back."

It wasn't that Lukehart had two left feet; rather, it was his penchant for running over other players-and tackling people.

Ten years later, the Eagle High senior running back has found a more suitable niche on the football field.

"I tried those other sports, but I was just too physical," said Lukehart, whose Mustangs square off with Capital at 8:30 p.m. tonight at Boise State in a rematch of last year's 5A state title game that Eagle won 22-21. (Listen to tonight's audio-cast on IdahoSports.com)

"When I played youth basketball, I would foul out in the first quarter. And baseball is slow enough as it is-but when we were eight years old, nobody could hit the ball. But after my first football practice, I fell in love with the game."

Lukehart's love for the game has translated into unbridled passion in both practices and games.

"Everybody respects Dillon because he works so hard," Eagle coach Paul Peterson said. "He's gifted and his maturity level is definitely above the average high school kid. He's a young man among boys playing high school football. And he's one tough son of a gun."

Lukehart's toughness is a valuable commodity this season after the Mustangs lost starting quarterback Tanner Mangum for at least the rest of the regular season. He had no problems showcasing his gritty style last week when Eagle needed him most.

Stuck in a back-and-forth battle against Highland (Pocatello) at Holt Arena, Lukehart carried the ball 43 times for 353 yards and seven touchdowns. The result? A 51-50 overtime victory against a 1-3 Highland team whose record is incredibly misleading.

After losing Mangum to injury, it would be safe to assume that more would be expected of Lukehart. But Peterson dismissed that idea for less obvious reasons.

"Dillon hasn't had to elevate his game," Peterson said. "It's kind of hard when he already plays at such a high level. We're not asking him to do anything different, but he sets the tone as far as everybody else having to be tough. Everybody knows they better rise to his level."

While Lukehart admits that his role in the team's offense has become more prominent with the loss of Mangum, he doesn't view it as burdensome.

"I feel like it's definitely not a burden," Lukehart said. "I like it. I like more pressure and more of the load on my shoulders. I don't think anyone on our team is panicking. We all know what we can do it. Everyone is just focused and ready to go."

Whenever Eagle breaks the huddle for a kickoff, the team yells in unison a term that demonstrates the brand of football the Mustangs need to play to defend their title: "Braveheart!"

"That's the kind of courage we want to play with as a team," Lukehart said of the heroic protagonist William Wallace from the movie Braveheart.

While Lukehart remains focused on his senior season at Eagle, the LeMoyne Trophy candidate has an eye on a future that sees him on a collegiate gridiron.

With the strongest interest from Boise State, Colorado State and Idaho, Lukehart wants to keep all his options open but admits following in the footsteps of his dad who played on Boise State's 1980 national championship team would be surreal.

"If I could go to Boise State, that would be my dream," Lukehart said. "That would just be amazing if that could happen, but I want to keep playing football no matter what wherever I get a chance."