Story
Glades Day's Kelvin Taylor, though just a sophomore, is running toward state records
Wednesday, December 01, 2010
by
Jeff Greer
Glades Day running back Kelvin Taylor needs no reminders that he's still young, that he's still just a 17-year-old sophomore.
But at the breakneck pace that Taylor is chalking up touchdowns and rushing yards, it won't be long before he becomes a high school legend in Florida.
Taylor, the son of NFL running back Fred Taylor, is seven touchdowns behind the state's all-time leader in career touchdowns, Punta Gorda-Charlotte running back Mike Bellamy, who enters his team's Friday night Class 4A regional final with 110 touchdowns.
Taylor, whose team faces Lakeland-Victory Christian in Friday's Class 1B regional final, has 101 career rushing touchdowns and two receiving.
The 5-foot-11, 210-pound Taylor is approaching the career touchdown marks set by Emmitt Smith (106) and Florida high school legends Willie Green and Tyrone Moss, who each have 107.
With Friday's game - and possibly a state final - to play this season, plus two full seasons, Taylor also is just 2,546 rushing yards shy of Smith's career rushing yardage record of 8,804.
All the record-chasing has amplified the buzz surrounding Taylor, who likely will be one of the most sought-after running backs in the nation by the time he's a senior.
Yet here in Belle Glade, Taylor keeps a relatively low profile. Neither he nor his coach, Pete Walker, knew that he was close to breaking those high school football records until being told this week.
"It's a blessing that God gave me to run the ball like that," Taylor said. "I just need to keep working hard and I hope to pass those (records) some day. But I'm just enjoying playing football."
Taylor and his teammates were enjoying themselves last Friday after Glades Day defeated Jupiter Christian 35-29 in the Region 4-1B final at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter.
Taylor scored five touchdowns in that game, rushing for 437 yards on 37 carries, including a 76-yard scoring sprint with 1:32 to play that ultimately won the game for Glades Day.
It was the first-ever football game played at Roger Dean, and it was the revenge Glades Day had been dreaming about since Jupiter Christian routed the Gators, 38-14, to start the season.
Now Glades Day is a game away from returning to the state championship game, where the Gators beat South Daytona-Warner Christian 27-20 in overtime last year behind Taylor's four touchdowns and 213 yards rushing.
It was Glades Day's sixth state championship.
Taylor's No. 1 goal is a seventh.
"He just runs hard," senior offensive lineman Tyler LeCroy said. "I don't think he cares about the hype, the newspapers. He just runs to run and wants to win like the rest of us."
Questions about Taylor's future arise regularly, both about college and his workload. Glades Day is a run-heavy offense - the Gators called one passing play against Jupiter Christian - and Taylor has taken 767 hand-offs since he started playing as an eighth grader.
In June, he had offseason surgery to repair a partially torn meniscus in his right knee. He started the 2010 season slow, with a visible timidity, but he has only gotten stronger. In two playoff games, Taylor has 710 rushing yards and eight touchdowns.
"People look at it like 'they just run him to death over there'," Taylor said. "In blowouts, I'll only touch the ball maybe five or six times. I sat out a game this year. But come playoff time, I'm ready to rock."
Recruitniks hope he's ready to roll when he gets to college, too. Taylor said he gets so much mail from colleges that sometimes he doesn't even open the packages or letters. He lists Florida as his future college on his Facebook profile, and it's no secret that he's a fan - his father was an All-American at Florida, winning a national title in 1996.
"I've thought about Florida a lot," Taylor said. "I'm looking at all schools, but I've thought about Florida a whole lot. Every school has a good shot of getting me.
"But right now, I'm just having fun."
~jeff_greer@pbpost.com
All-time career touchdowns
TDs Name School Years
110 Mike Bellamy* Charlotte 2007-10
107 Tyrone Moss Blanche Ely/Coconut Creek 1999-02
107 Willie Green Osceola-Kissimmee 1996-99
106 Emmit Smith Escambia 1983-86
103 Kelvin Taylor* Glades Day 2008-10
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User Comments:
wonderin commented on December 1, 2010 at 9:31 p.m.: report abuse
@jeff
since taylor is a 17 year old 10th grader, does he have to cut short his senior season due to age limits?
wonderin commented on December 1, 2010 at 10:22 p.m.: report abuse
oh i see, so he will at least play some of his senior season, if not all of it.
susan commented on December 1, 2010 at 10:57 p.m.: report abuse
My son is a 17 year old SENIOR, not a 10th grader. Kelvin will be a
a man among boys.He needs to concentrate on the 3 R's.
Jeff Greer commented on December 2, 2010 at 1:59 a.m.: report abuse
Kelvin turned 17 midseason, so he is fine. He won't be 19 years and 9 months until the summer before his first year of college.
PkPrince commented on December 2, 2010 at 8:25 a.m.: report abuse
I Have A Question....Do,You Think Do To His Early Success That Kelvin Will Be Physically Burned Out By The Time He Makes It To College Football...Given Is Large Amount Carries This Early In His Young Career!!!
former D1 lineman commented on December 2, 2010 at 10:50 a.m.: report abuse
@susan
From what I have heard, the kid recently turned 17, he is 1 year behind his originally class and all of his numbers thus far are against kids his own age. I graduated a year behind my original class because of me not taking school seriously in elementary. But because I didn’t care at the time, doesn’t mean that I was a trouble maker, I just didn’t care about school at the time. I got my head on straight towards the end of middle school and 5 years after I graduated from high school, I earned my master's degree, while spending 4 of them playing division 1 football. So lay off the kid, who knows what his situation is, it's certainly clear that you have no clue
Still Deserves Credit commented on December 2, 2010 at 10:52 a.m.: report abuse
Kelvin is a great r.b. however it is alittle unfair. 1. He was able to play varsity football & have his stats count when he was in 8th grade. He will have 5 years on varsity (this is his 3rd year on varsity). Public school kids dont have that option. Even when he was younger he played on younger aged all-star teams but the coaches at WCFL let him play with the younger kids there as well instead of playing with the group of kids he played with during the year. He is good but noe as good as his stats will suggest. He is in the perfect situation possible, so good for him.Alot of kids dont get the chance he has been given.
G8tor01 commented on December 2, 2010 at 2:35 p.m.: report abuse
From what I understand school is very difficult for this young man. It is a wonderful thing that he has such a great talent because he knows that without school he would not have the opportunity to show his talents. And as for him being on varsity at his age and for as long as he has...If GDS or any other private school were to put someone with his size and talent on JV where 10th graders are "suppose" to be, people would run their mouthes about how private schools let big boys paly against kids that are younger and don't have as much experience. So I guess it is one of those darned if you do or don't things.
I think instead of belittling him he should be praised for all the great things he has managed to do. Hopefully we will see him on the UF field in a few years like his father.
College Dean commented on December 2, 2010 at 3:28 p.m.: report abuse
@ G8tor01 No doubt there will always be people jelous or sound like they are against a player for one reason or the other. The thing that upsets me is a non athlete will try to get into U.F. with a 3.0 gpa & score fairly high on the sat, but wont get in. Football players like Dunkly,Taylor are no where close to these requirements & get to go there just because they carry a pig skin. So lets hope we see him at UF for more than football. I havnt seen many kids here in Palm Beach for a very long time now that have made it to the pro level.
hssportsfan commented on December 2, 2010 at 7:17 p.m.: report abuse
santonio holmes, pierre garcon, brandon flowers, omar jacobs, jacoby ford, ray mcdonald, jr., randy phillips, willie young, john destin, dajuan morgan to name a few
WAYNE LEHMAN commented on December 3, 2010 at 9:01 a.m.: report abuse
All I'm saying is , keep the playing field level & fair . It is not fair that a private school can use 8th grade stats when all the other kids cannot ! So to be fair , scratch his 8th grade stats ! My son was in a private christian school & was 19 before football season . Since his BD was in june , he could still play. But i still agree , Hes a man among boys & his physical maturity will give him a greater edge ! The true test will come later @ college.. BTW , I agree thay " ALL ' students should be given the same opportunities for scholarships or enrollment ! I LOVE FOOTBALL , but , atheletes should not be given special treatment !! ( THE 'OLE GEEZER ! ) 64
G8tor01 commented on December 3, 2010 at 11 a.m.: report abuse
@ College Dean-As far as atheletes getting into to schools with lower GPAs, that is just the nature of the beast. You are going to find that at every school in the nation. As long as there are competive sports that bring in revenue for schools exceptions are going to be made. I think Florida is pretty good about not bending the rules too much outside of GPA (ie Cam Newton).
And to add to the list that hsssportsfan started...Stanley Arnoux (GDS), Anquan Boldin, James Jackson, Steve Octavien, and lets not forget Kelvin's father Fred Taylor. I don't like to give false information so I won't say this stat is still true but at one time the glades area(Belle Glade, Pahokee, South Bay) had more players in the NFL per capita than anywhere in the nation. I have seen many D1 coaches in this area this time a year trying to get what is growing out here. So, the young men, coaches and families must be doing something right!
hssportsfan commented on December 3, 2010 at 11:55 a.m.: report abuse
@G8tor01 you are correct with your addition to my list, plus more! I was addressing his "lately" remark. You are also correct about the Glades area at one time having more per capita in NFL. All of PBC is a mecca for college and NFL
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