LONGVIEW, Texas — "The 91 yard touchdown from that end, I'd say yeah because that's when I actually broke the record. Yeah, that was my favorite," Longview senior Kelvin Washington said.
It can be hard to pick a favorite touchdown when you've got eight to choose from, but that's a problem only Kelvin Washington knows about. The running back dropped eight TDs on Friday night, a Longview record, including six on the ground, also a record.
"He has the home run speed of course, the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. He's a slasher, he can cut, make cuts at full speed. Just a huge night out of him, good things happen when he's got the ball in his hands," Longview head coach John King said.
Washington's performance propelled his team to a 63-34 win over Rockwall, a big game for Longview after back-to-back losses. The senior says everybody, players and coaches, are on the same page now, which is allowing him and the team to find more success.
"O-line was opening stuff up all night, Coach King set us up in position for plays. I want to thank him, I want to thank everybody that came out that night," said Washington.
One thing that makes Washington's record-breaking night standout is the fact that Longview just last year graduated the best running back in the nation, in Taylor Tatum. But Washington spent some time as Tatum's teammate, and he says the now-Oklahoma Sooner left him some words of wisdom before heading off to Norman.
"Really day-in and day-out, working, grinding all night, trying to be the best we can be. He taught me like, be a leader, be a vocal leader, help around the locker room, be a role model for people," said Washington.
Yet another star from the Lobos, ready to take his and his team's game to the next level for the rest of this season.
"Lotta great players in this program throughout the years, and he's at the top of the list now," said Coach King.
"We coming, we coming," said Washington.