BonnerSprings.com

Two years to a high school student can seem like a really long time. To Max Barren, two years seemed like an eternity.

That’s how long Barren had to wait between stints as the featured running back on the Bonner Springs football team.

After getting the bulk of the carries during his freshman year, Barren was relegated to toting the ball every once in awhile as a change of pace for transfer running back and speedster Jonathan Walker during Barren’s sophomore and junior seasons. It was a tough pill to swallow, but Barren — ever the team player — knew that he would get his opportunity to be the feature back again if he continued to work hard.

That opportunity came in 2009, and Barren turned in the second best single-season rushing total in Bonner Springs history.

He had 266 carries for 1,324 yards. He fell just short of the record season by Prentice Watson in 1996, who amassed 1,471 yards on 203 carries in only eight games and missed the final game of the season with a concussion.

Barren was banged up this season, too. He suffered from nagging injuries that affected his production as the season wore on.

“I wasn’t as quick late in the year because of my ankles,” Barren said. “You just need longer to heal. I was pretty beat up. There is a difference between playing hurt and being injured. I was hurt, but so was everyone else, so that is not an excuse. As a running back, you need your feet the most out of anything and they definitely bothered me.”

In addition to his rushing of the football, Barren returned 16 kickoffs for 278 yards and one punt for nine yards. He caught seven passes for 93 yards, giving him 1,704 all-purpose yards. He also scored five touchdowns and five 2-point conversions for a total of 40 points. On defense, he added 42 tackles with 24 assists and one interception.

Barren has worked hard ever since middle school when he became motivated to be the best prepared competitor in every game he entered.

“Back in middle school I was always worried somebody was out there working harder than me, so I have always busted my butt to get better training all the way through summer and coming in ready to play when practice starts,” Barren said. “Football builds character. A lot of guys think it’s OK to start getting in shape once the season starts. I just never saw how that could work.”

With all of those sparkling numbers he racked up in his senior season, Barren would have traded them all for a better total in the wins column.

“Max made himself into what he is. (He’s) such a competitor, constantly lifting weights and he always gave his full effort,” BSHS coach Lew Kasselman said. “He was deserving of the top-spot in the record books and he just came up short, but he would rather win a game then get an individual record.”

Barren was happy with his career for the Braves overall, and he said he gave it his all every time out.

“I felt pretty good about (my career),” Barren said. “Of course I could have played better, but I still focused on what I could do to help the team. I had a blast. I got to play the best sport in the world with my best friends. Could we have won more? Sure, but you have to take the good with the bad.”

Barren sometimes comes off as intimidating. He has a gnarled set of dreadlocks that dangle from his head like twisted vines, and a game day scowl that would make legendary Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher … well … cower.

Underneath that outer persona that says, “don’t mess with me,” is a nice, hard-working guy with a big heart.

“Sometimes the younger guys would be intimidated just looking at me, but after awhile they learned that I was very approachable and nice,” Barren said. “They also knew not to step on my toes or cross the line because I would call them out if necessary.”

Barren was able to accomplish something he never thought that he would get to do during his high school career; start and carry the ball regularly in front of his father, Lt. Col. James Barren. James Barren has been deployed in Iraq and was based out of Colorado Springs, Colo., throughout most of his son’s playing days until this fall. Max Barren does not like to talk about this much, but he did say how proud he is to have left it all on the field in front of his dad.

“After everything he has done for us and our country, it was nice to play hard for him,” he said.

Going forward, Barren is unsure of what he is going to do. He is interested in pursuing football in college, but until a school calls with a scholarship he will continue to work hard, noting that if somebody does call he wants to be physically ready to go.

“I am going to try to pack on the muscle,” Barren said. “(I just need to) stay out of trouble, get good grades … you know, do the usual.”

In his free time, it is likely that you will find Barren in the gym or doing research on another passion of his — history. Barren is captivated by criminal justice history, and his favorite subject is old-time mobsters and their personalities. His favorite at the moment is Charles “Lucky” Luciano.

“Lucky was able to evade police for so long,” Barren said. “Back then it was just so different. These guys were criminals yes, but they were fascinating characters too.”

And, much like the crafty running back Barren, they were tough to tackle.

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