The gauge for any prep football player’s value is how he shows up in a showdown. Under that barometer, Aaron Swafford is priceless when it comes to Meigs County’s state-championship hopes.
The senior quarterback proved his worth once again in a huge matchup last Friday against perennial power Greenback, accounting for all but 36 of his team’s 461 total yards and having a hand in all 27 points in a seven-point win.
That performance – 32 carries for 271 yards and two touchdowns, plus 154 passing yards and two more scores as well as a 2-point conversion, an extra-point kick and defensively two interceptions and eight tackles – earned Swafford the honor of Times Free Press prep player of the week.
“He’s our leader on both sides of the ball,” Tigers coach Jason Fitzgerald said. “We’ve got good people around him, but it seems like in big games he really gets going and doesn’t let off the gas. It’s not like he’s the only weapon, and what creates holes for him are the people around him, but we know we can call on him whenever we need a play to be made in a big situation.
“People rally around him because he’s such a good teammate. Guys like Aaron don’t come along every year, and I’m just glad he’s on our team.”