There is no better time than the present to anoint another Independence Bank player of the week. Independence Bank is proud to sponsor a weekly article highlighting players in the areas where Independence Bank flourishes who embody the same type of revolutionary service to their respective football teams which has made Independence Bank unique and special in the banking industry.
Independence Bank has a goal of achieving everyday excellence. This week we are focusing on a player whose performance exceeded both the “Blue Tornados” and the Paducah Tilghman community’s expectations.
We are focusing on the, class of 2024 RB, Malachi Rider. Rider plays for the class 3A, Paducah Tilghman Blue Tornado who we believe to be one of the best teams in Kentucky’s 3A classification.
Rider’s Paducah Tilghman High School is right down the road from three separate Independence Bank branches. There is one in Jefferson Square located on 3143 Broadway Street; there is one at 3312 Lone Oak Road; and there is one on 2711 New Holt Road all in Paducah, Kentucky.
Get on by and see our friends at any of these three branches today. Let them demonstrate to you just why Independence Bank has started a revolution in the banking industry.
We are awarding this today to Malachi Rider, and for very good reason. Rider is a ’24 prospect who is coming off an incredible freshman campaign. That aside, you should have seen what he did to Graves County last Friday night.
Rider gained 92-yards and scored a rushing TD in the team’s first game against 6A McCracken. Against Graves County, in game two, Rider just flat exploded. Hopefully, the Blue Tornado can get another performance of like kind out of Rider tonight.
Paducah Tilghman hosts Mayfield this evening, assuming things stay as scheduled which, these days, is never a safe bet. The Cardinals/Blue Tornado matchup is generally an epic battle and figures to be thus again this year.
Mayfield is coming off a 21-3 dismantling of Class 4A, Hopkinsville. Playing out of classification won’t shake up the Cardinals any when they travel to Paducah to take on the Class 3A powerhouse. Of course, the Tigers from Hopkinsville didn’t boast a Malachi Rider in its backfield when facing the Cardinals a week ago.
Last week, against Graves County, Paducah Tilghman’s Rider carried it 28-times. That amount of carries against a Class 5A, first-district opponent is an achievement standing alone.
Rider gained 260-yards on the night and scored 4-rushing TDs. Doing that against any defense is quite a ton of production from a single RB. With that no one can seriously argue.
Think about it, Rider carried it 28-times and averaged 9.3 yards a tote. Rider averaged a touchdown every seventh rushing attempt.
This wasn’t the Joe Slappie High School against whom Rider was tabulating this level of production either. Graves County has earned a reputation for being a tough opponent for any team in the commonwealth at any level of competition.
Now, tonight’s opponent, Mayfield, beat Graves County to open its season, 35-21. Last week, Graves beat Paducah Tilghman at home, 41-34.
So, one has to figure Mayfield should beat Paducah Tilghman by three or so scores, right? Well, we’ll see, but a warning to the Mayfield faithful; high school football rarely works out like one expects.
As for Rider’s individual output against Graves; well, it was just an exemplary performance. One might even call a performance like that, “Revolutionary!”
Congratulations to Malachi Rider for his Revolutionary Play which has earned him this week’s recognition from the fastest growing bank in the Commonwealth of Kentucky…your friends at Independence Bank.
This is HB Lyon reporting for KPGFootball reminding you WE’RE JUST CALLING IT LIKE WE SEE IT!
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