The Price Was Right For Independence High
Senior Tailback Sets Two Super Six Marks In Patriots’ 42-7 Win
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WHEELING - The Price was definitely right for Independence High (14-0) on Friday night.
The frontrunner for the Kennedy Award, symbolic of the state of West Virginia's top high school football player, Judah Price showed why as he established a new Super Six record with 376 yards rushing in the No. 2 Patriots' 42-7 demolition of No. 9 Herbert Hoover in the Super Six Class AA state championship game inside Wheeling Island Stadium.
Price, who broke the Mountain State's single-season scoring record in Independence's semifinal victory over North Marion last week, broke the Class A mark of 355 yards set by Wheeling Central's Geno Bianconi set in 2011. The Class AA record was 315 by Bridgeport's Dylan Tonkery in 2014. He finished with 32 carries. The Class AAA mark is just 232.
In addition, his 94-yard touchdown run in the third quarter set another Super Six record for longest run from scrimmage.
"I was just hoping there weren't any (penalty) flags," Price noted. There was a flag thrown on the play, however, it was a sideline warning against Independence.
"He's special. We've been telling people that all year, maybe someone noticed tonight," Independence head coach John Lilly said of his 5-8, 188-pound senior. "He's a great kid, as well."
When informed he had re-written the Super Six record book for most yards rushing, he responded, "Oh my God. This is insane."
When told he had broken the record for the longest run, he said, "another record? All the credit goes to my teammates. They did a phenomenal job.
"This is so surreal. Walking off this field last year was horrible," Price recalled of the Patriots' 21-12 setback to Fairmont Senior in the same game. "This feels 100 percent better."
Lilly was proud of his team.
"We executed on both sides of the ball," he praised. "Our defensive coaches had a great game plan. We knew we had to stop a great quarterback in the Hatfield kid. He's a player.
"I tip my hat to Herbert Hoover. They battled really hard to get here."
In addition to his long TD jaunt, Price also reached the end zone on runs of 3, 12 and 6. He also scored a trio of two-point conversions.
Patriots quarterback Trey Bowers also surpassed the 100-yard barrier with 15 carries for 118 stripes and two touchdowns, including a 41-yard scamper in the fourth quarter. He also had a two-point run and completed six passes for 54 yards.
As a team, Independence racked up 494 yards on 47 carries.
Meanwhile, the Huskies (11-3) could only manage 137 yards of total offense, with 106 of those coming through the air as Hatfield went 14-for-22. He connected with Andrew Rollyson on a 24-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Levi Paxton added the PAT.
"I'm proud of my guys and our community," Herbert Hoover head coach Joey Fields said. "Elk River pride was on display tonight."
Price also sparked the defense with 10 tackles, five solo and five assisted. He recovered a key fumble at the Patriots' 5 to stop a Herbert Hoover drive in the first half. Chandler Johnson recorded eight solo tackles. Jordan Harvey had eight tackles and recorded 2.5 tackles for 21 lost yards.
Rollyson charted 15 tackles for the Huskies. He also returned the game's lone interception 16 yards. Isaiah Chapman logged nine tackles.