WINNSBORO, Texas — If you kept up with any East Texas football over the last couple years, the name Kyler Finney should definitely ring a bell.
Not only has he brought energy and soul to the Winnsboro program every Friday night, he'll be graduating at the top of the record books and forever be a fan favorite in his hometown.
Finney led the Raiders to an astounding 23-3 record over his last two years as a quarterback, piling up the accomplishments along the way. This year alone, the team set a record for most wins in a single season, as well as advancing to the fourth round of the playoffs for the first time in school history.
Finney has also collected various awards and records along the way due to his prolific passing stats as part of the Winnsboro air raid offense.
Toughness, grit and discipline are some of the words that describe the work ethic of Finney that got him to this point. It transcends to the way he lives his life, and it remains the advice he gives to some of those younger players that look up to him and his achievements.
"Put work in when nobody's looking, and it will show. Just be thankful for your opportunities and never give up," Finney said. "Prove people wrong, that's pretty much what I've learned, just be a team player."
However, the story of Kyler Finney is just beginning. Next fall, he'll officially enroll at Harding University in Arkansas, a division two program where he'll start his journey as a college football player.
"I made my decision to go to Harding because it's a good Christian based school. They just won the national championship for division two," Finney said. "I'm excited for the journey that I'll go on for the next four or five years and it's going to be fun."
The stats from his Winnsboro career jump out at you, as do the results. But as the quarterback and the leader from his hometown, he also deflects all the credit from those accomplishments.
Instead, he says with the utmost emphasis that there is no Kyler Finney without every single player and coach that was there with him the whole way.
"I have to give thanks to all of them. They helped me make plays, and they're the ones catching 1,000 yard seasons and rushing 1,000 yard seasons," Finney said. "I can't do any of that without them and my offensive line and my defense getting me the ball back. All thanks to them."
The years will come and go, but one thing is for certain. The legacy that Kyler Finney has created in his hometown will never be forgotten.