For the past two seasons, Brad Hockenberry has been one of the many unsung heroes on West Perry football’s rise to the top.

After rushing for just 225 yards as a sophomore, the underrated running back bounced back with 1,193 yards as a junior and cemented himself as a formidable foe when teams looked to shut down the likes of Marcus Quaker and Ian Goodling.

But, with those two now gone, Hockenberry has finally flourished into the leading man in the 2024 mustang story

On Aug 30, at beautiful Ecker Field in Bubbletown, Hockenberry scorched an aggressive Boiling Springs defense, breaking tackles in the backfield and outracing defenders to the tune of 291 rushing yards and four scores on just nine carries.

Nine.

In fact, through two games, Hockenberry has rushed the ball just 15 times, yet he has scored seven touchdowns on the ground (46.7% of his touches) and has already gained 438 yards.

Hockenberry opened the night with two scoring bursts on his first two touches, covering 44 and 65 yards respectively. His second quarter touchdown, a 55-yard run, pushed the West Perry lead to 27-0 mere minutes into the second period.

And, despite a late charge of the Bubblers that saw them score twice in the third to pull within 37-14, Hockenberry’s fourth score, another 55-yarder, sealed the Colonial division opening win for the Mustangs.

In all, Hockenberry’s 291 yards slots in third all-time; for perspective, Hunter Wilson’s record-holding 317 yards took 31 carries.

As the Mustangs continue to ramp up their season, with a tough road trip to Upper Dauphin and a date with Susquehanna Twp on the upcoming agenda, Hockenberry’s legs will continue to be tested.

But, with his strength and quickness, he just might be able to carry the west Perry offense once again.