COLONY — There were a lot of good offensive seasons on the gridiron locally. One topped them all. Crest High School running back Holden Barker was one of two players in Kansas to top the 2,000-rushing yard mark this season. Barker ran for 2,071 yards and 36 touchdowns.
“It all starts in the weight room during the summer,” Barker said. “That’s when we prepare for the season. I couldn’t do it without the team I have behind me. The team works hard in practice and doesn’t take breaks.”
Barker, a junior, averaged 9.7 yards per carry. Barker almost gains a first down every time he touches the ball.
“It doesn’t matter if there are four or five guys trying to tackle him,” said Crest High School head coach Nick McAnulty. “He is going to keep his feet moving and shove and fight for every inch.”
Last season, Barker watched while then-senior Jacquez Coleman took the lion’s share of the carries at Crest.
Barker played sparingly and ran for 748 yards and 19 touchdowns — not bad for a backup.
“Holden and I talked in the summer. I told him his carries were going to increase,” McAnulty said. ”Last year we only played two full games. There would be games he would only have six touches. There weren’t many opportunities.”
With the added carries this season came an added role —leader. Barker embraced that role.
“Last year I was more of a follower,” Barker said. “Now, I have people following me. I want to do everything right so then they see it and follow along with what I’m doing. I know if I get taken out of a game, it’s going to hurt my team. I just want to do what is best for the team and not be selfish out there.”
Barker’s contributions did not end on offense. He also made 67 tackles and had two sacks this season.
“He wants to go where the football is,” McAnulty said.
“I just love football,” Barker said of what keeps him going. “I love contact. You don’t get many chances to go out there and hit someone legally anywhere besides the football field. That’s where I take everything out at.”
Barker ran for more than 200 yards eight times in nine games this season.
“It’s a feeling of accomplishment,” Barker said on his high yards per game average. “Then you think, I can do so much better than that. You just have to keep trying every play and give it your all.”
Barker is a unique student-athlete. He wakes up at 6:45 a.m. to go to automotive technical school for welding classes before classes at Crest. On game nights, Barker might not be home until after 10:30 p.m.
