October 12, 2006.

A legend was born Tuesday at Northwest Rankin High School.

He is not as swift as Brian Darden who ran over and around defenses during Warren Central’s heyday in the 1990s. He’s not as powerful as Carl Blue who ran over folks during the 1970s.

But on Tuesday night, a legend that may overshadow them all came into focus.

His name is Dominique Miller.

Miller plays for the undefeated 9th-grade Viking football team. Play is a relative term here. He is as big a part of the team as anyone.

He has seen the field sparingly, playing in the fifth quarter – a wonderful facet to junior ball that allows players that saw little or no time in the regulation game, play a quarter as well. Coaches put him at safety, a relatively quiet position in junior ball akin to playing right field in baseball.

He struggles at comprehension in class, developing slowly and attending special education classes. On the football field, though, he communicates the game he loves.

He’s a helper. A Dominique-of-all-trades. He’s part cheerleader, part coach and part player. He’ll lift you up when you are down, and isn’t afraid to voice his displeasure when plays don’t work.

His teammates love him.

So back to Tuesday. It’s the fourth quarter of a relatively quiet 14-0 game. Across the field, a spectator with a fancy airhorn and siren machine tries to disrupt Warren Central’s play-calling. It is bothersome to the players, the timing of the blasts coinciding with the snapping of the ball.

One coach’s vocal complaint, then another, cannot stop the incessant sounding of the siren.

It’s late in the game, now, and the legend is unfolding, unbeknownst to onlookers. What would really make that siren go silent would be another score.

Leading by two touchdowns and with every desire to run out the clock, coaches decide instead to run one more play.

The team lines up in their familiar power-I set with a tailback behind two blocking backs. The tailback is wearing No. 99 – an usual number for someone in the offensive backfield.

The play is a pitch to the right. It will forever be known as &#8220Dominique Right.”

Old No. 99 takes that pill and dashes right behind his blockers. He nears the sideline, gets a crushing block and turns upfield.

He’s at the 15…

The 10…

The 5….

Are you kidding me? Then … one more juke move to the left and … TOUCHDOWN.

Dominique clutches the football over his head as if the score earned the team a state championship. His smile shines from under the shade of his WC helmet.

Warren Central 20. Northwest Rankin 0.

Warren Central’s Legends’ Club has a new member.

His name is Dominique Miller.