Taylor passes Hall - sort of.
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As we come to a close in the year, it's time to take a look back at the landscape of high school football and see the '12 biggest stories' that shaped our season. Here is story Number 2
No. 2 - When a year doesn't count
Kelvin Taylor took the hits.
He took the licks and got the yards.
But it didn't count - according to the National Federation of High Schools.
Taylor all but rewrote every rushing record known to man, but because he played in the eighth grade, Taylor's historic mark will not stand in the NFHS record book.
The National Federation does not count the eighth grade year as a 'varsity season' - so Taylor's 12,121 yards during his five year career at Glades Day - only reflect 10,537. Leaving him third on the list of all-time rushers behind Yulee's Derrick Henry 12,202 and Ken Hall of Sugarland (Tex.) (11,232).
What's amazing even more than this - is that those 1584 yards came when the son of Fred Taylor - was just 13 years old.
That means he was running over kids four and five years older than he was - and yet - the NFHS doesn't count it.
Taylor entered the season - according to Florida football record-keeper Buddy Collings of the Orlando Sentinel - as the all-time leading rusher in Florida history, passing Emmitt Smith last year. Florida - it seems - counts the seasons, while the NFHS does not.
The much-anticipated battle between Henry and Taylor came to a boiling point when the two faced off at Yulee in a made-for-tv game. A game where Henry ran for 362 yards and six touchdowns in a 42-6 win for Yulee.
If ever there wa a time the torch passed - it was on this mild September night. Taylor finished the game with 223 yards - and never caught back up with Henry.
Taylor's team lost to Dade Christian in the state quarter finals - denying him a chance at the career yards - according to the NFHS standard. He did finish with 12,121 yards - according to the
Palm Beach Post. That's where his record will stand in Florida.
Taylor is off to Florida - following in his father's footsteps. He's not worried about record books or asterisks. He's worried about freshman English and fitting into Will Muschamp's offense.
It's very likely that Taylor and Henry will meet again - on the gridiron. Both are looking forward to the SEC rivalry.
And, in our opinion - the National Federation needs to do a recount.