Valparaiso senior Gage Finlay is hitting his stride as the regular season winds down.
The 5-foot-11, 190-pound running back is a first-year starter for the Vikings after backing up Thomas Burda and Travis Davis.
“I’m feeling good,” Finlay said. “I’m hoping the coaches are feeling good with me too. I trust their play-calling. I believe they trust me to run the plays where they’re supposed to be run. It really comes down to trust, and this team has a lot of trust.”
Finlay has increasingly gained the trust of Valparaiso coach Bill Marshall. Finlay is coming off a Duneland Athletic Conference game against Merrillville in which he had 28 carries for 139 yards, both career highs and the first time he’s eclipsed the century mark, and a touchdown. He also had three catches for 33 yards and the first receiving TD of his career.
Finlay, who also runs track and was a regional qualifier in the 100-meter dash and the 400 relay in the spring, leads the Vikings (1-6, 1-4) with 406 yards and five TDs on 94 carries along with 22 catches for 144 yards.
“Gage has run track and played football his entire career, so he has some breakaway speed,” Marshall said. “Coming into the season, it was just a matter of him getting his footing, understanding what we were trying to have him do. I’ve mentioned to him, too, his last two games together, I’ve seen him run harder than he’s ever run before. He’s run with no fear. He’s hitting his aiming points. He’s doing a good job of pressing the line vertical and then being able to make cuts off of that with his speed and shiftiness. So we’re excited.
“A lot of that as well is the offensive line coming around. Now we’re able to put the ball on the ground and move it, where early in the season we were relying heavily on the passing game. But as teams get more guys out of the box to take care of that, it opens up more running lanes for Gage to do it. The last two weeks, he’s really come out of his shell and run a lot harder.”
Marshall also noted Finlay was hampered by an ankle injury earlier in the season.
“That kind of minimized and limited what he was capable of doing, and even just a little bit of self-trust in the ankle being stable,” Marshall said. “But now he’s healthy, he’s had a couple of good weeks in a row, and we’re looking for good things from him toward the end of the season.”
Senior linebacker Ben Fedorchak appreciates Finlay’s abilities.
“Gage is a great teammate and leader on and off the field,” Fedorchak said. “I’ve played with Gage for a long time now, and he has a special talent in this game. Gage is the type of guy that can change the whole momentum of the game in an instant.
“He’s always ready for the moment and ready to go out and show out. He’s the type of guy you want on your team in these tight games because you know he can step up to the plate and change the whole outcome.”
Finlay, who moved to the area from New Jersey in fourth grade, has had to wait his turn for an extended opportunity. In addition to Burda and Davis, record-breaker Hayden Vinyard, Tommy Burbee, Jackson Kurth and Jesse Harper are part of the Vikings’ impressive recent lineage of running backs.
“It’s been a dream,” Finlay said. “Moving from New Jersey, I remember coming to my first game in 2018 and watching it. Just from that point on, I was like, ‘I can’t wait to be that guy.’ This year, finally getting that role, it feels good.
“Of course, I’m still going out there every day and competing, trying to earn my spot every day. It can be taken away at any moment. But it feels great. It’s truly a blessing.”
Finlay recalled sitting in the stands in eighth grade and watching Vinyard play. As a freshman, Finlay was around Davis and Burda as the Vikings won the Class 5A state title.
“Those big names, especially working with Travis and Burda,” Finlay said. “Burda will text me and say, ‘Hey, keep it up, you’re doing great, man.’ Being behind those guys and watching how they played football definitely helped me become who I am right now.
“It’s awesome. I love having people I looked up to and be able to ask questions to help me.”
Finlay has drawn lessons and inspiration along the way.
“He’s had a running back room ahead of him for quite some years that he’s been able to watch and learn from,” Marshall said. “He talks about those guys as well. It’s also a competitive nature for him to see what he can do against their numbers and everything they’ve been able to do in their careers.”
Finlay has an offer from Wabash. Marshall believes Finlay could compete in both football and track in college under the right circumstances.
Just as he has been on the upswing, Finlay has a similar feeling about the Vikings, who have not had a sub-.500 season since going 2-8 in 2014 and have won seven straight sectional titles.
“After Crown Point and Merrillville, we’re finally understanding how good of a team we can be,” he said. “We can compete with the top teams. Moving forward, we’re ready for anything. Anything.
“Our record might not show it, but as a team, we’re finally coming together. It’s better to click at the end than at the beginning and break apart. Our team is starting to click. Other teams might not think about us, but when they play us, they’re going to need to be prepared. We’re coming. We’re sick of losing. We’re ready to come in and get anybody in front of us.”
