Prep Football: Price signs scholarship with McKendree
Not every high school player gets the chance to play at the next level.<br />Payton Price is not your typical high school player and the way he has positioned himself to play beyond his prep career is more about what he was able to do off the field, than on.<br />Yes, Price's numbers are hard to ignore. As a tailback for Brandon Hampton's football team at Eldorado High School, Price had 48 career touchdowns on 307 carries, while rushing for 3,750 yards.<br />But as Hampton will tell you, it's what Price did off the field that has allowed him to sign scholarship papers with McKendree University in nearby Lebanon.<br />"All Payton has ever done is worked extremely hard to be able to play football after high school. He's excelled in the classroom, No. 1, which is never an easy thing and he commits himself in the weight room in the offseason to get better. McKendree is getting a really good play, one that had a great career here at Eldorado and one that could have an even better career there.<br />"It's a good fit for Payton, McKendree has good academic standards already in place and that's just one area he already excels in. If you look at his situation, you could compare it to something like the two Goodley twins (Asthon and Taylor) who went on to play at Austin Peay … best players in your conference or top players in southern Illinois and now on a team as just another player. The twins met that challenge head on and are now two of the top players on the APSU golf team. Same thing for Payton. He's a guy that can weather the storm and he won't be easy, but if anyone is tough enough to do it, it's Payton."<br />Price, who helped lead Eldorado to a 31-10 record over four seasons, including his senior season where the Eagles went 9-2, said that he looks forward to competing at McKendree and making an impact on their program, much like he did at Eldorado where he was named Black Diamond Conference MVP this season.<br />"Academics was high for me and proximity to home, it kind of just all fit together," Price said. "Everything feel into place in regards to what I was looking for and then being allowed to play football is just icing on the cake."<br />Price was also named to BDC First Team Offense and while he starred at running back in Hampton's offense, he was also a solid defensive back as well.<br />"I'm looking to play running back, but I'm open to anything," Price said." When you get there, it's kind of where they want you to play and wherever they want me to go, is where I will go to try and get on the field. I've never stopped training. I've always had that goal of playing football at the next level. After our season ended, I started with getting back on the grind and working out, running and staying in shape. There's always room to improve and I think it will be a reality check once I get there."<br /><br /><em>Michael Dann covers prep and college sports for the Harrisburg Daily Register and Eldorado Daily Journal. Follow him on Twitter: @spydieshooter.</em>