Salem running back Dione Alston to play for Team USA

Gloucester Michael Cox (41) chases Salem Dione Alston (24), center, down field. Dione Alston scores the first touchdown of the game during Gloucester vs Salem football, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2013. (Staff Photo by Cindy Hepner/South Jersey Times)

Gloucester Michael Cox (41) chases Salem Dione Alston (24), center, down field. Dione Alston scores the first touchdown of the game during Gloucester vs Salem football, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2013. (Staff Photo by Cindy Hepner/South Jersey Times)

Getting a chance to represent your country on the field of play isn’t something that comes along very often.

But for Salem High School running back Dione Alston, it will become a reality this February. The junior tailback was invited by Team USA to participate in the second annual Team USA vs. Canada game series.

“I’m excited,” Alston said of getting the chance to play. “It was a long year and it’s a big honor to play for the USA.”

“It’s great for the program,” added Rams head coach Dennis Thomas with a smile. “I can’t say much more, it’s just great to know that someone from our school was honored to play for USA, for our country. It’s just great.”

But Alston won’t be alone when he heads out to Austin, Texas. Thomas was invited as well to be a member of one of the coaching staffs.

“It’s great for our program, it’s great for me to just be out there with one of our kids,” Thomas said.

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“That’s great,” Alston added of having his coach out there with him. “He can put in a good word for colleges for me ... it’s just great (to have him with me).”

Thomas received the letter from Team USA notifying Alston that he has been selected to participate. But he didn’t just give him the great news.

“My coach knew, but he didn’t want to tell me, he wanted to sit me down in a meeting,” Alston said of how he found out about his selection. “When he told me I was proud of myself, of my team.”

And the Rams had plenty to be proud of this season besides just Alston’s accomplishments.

Alston topped the 1,000 yard mark hitting 1,030 on 166 carries with 14 touchdowns. He had another 380 yards and seven touchdowns receiving, 425 return yards, two interceptions, a fumble recovered, a fumble forced and one non-offensive touchdown.

As a team, the Rams went from 0-10 last year to 5-6 this season and they were 12 minutes away from reaching the South Jersey Group I title game.

“The only reason I’m really going there is because of my team,” said Alston. “I couldn’t do anything without my teammates. Everybody on the Salem Rams, I couldn’t do anything without them.”

It won’t be easy to send Alston out to Texas, so the Rams are trying to help raise the money to send him on the trip.

“We have fundraisers going on throughout the community, we have to get plane flights,” said Thomas. “A lot of the community is trying to come together and that’s what it’s all about.”

Contact staff writer Wes Szafran at 856-845-9478 or wszafran@southjerseymedia.com

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