Whitehead 'excited' to see Alexander become Central Valley's all-time leading rusher

CENTER TWP. — The first time Jordan Whitehead watched the young running back play, he knew the kid was something special.

Like thousands of others across the country, Whitehead was a fan of Esquire Network's popular reality T.V. series "Friday Night Tykes: Steel Country," which followed a handful of teams from the Beaver County Youth Football League.

The high profile player on the show was a gritty, talented coach's son who wore No. 7. His name: Landon Alexander. Whitehead was a fan of the mini-playmaker from the start. Little did he know, that kid he was rooting for would one day grow up to likely break his own records.

"I remember seeing him run the ball and saying, 'oh, he kinda reminds me of me a little bit,'" Whitehead told the Times last week. "I remember watching him on Friday Night Tykes and telling people about him. I'd say, 'check out my young bro from back home. You gotta watch him!'"

Whitehead, who is now in his fourth season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, had quite the high school career at Central Valley. The former Warriors' standout was a four-year starter, earning All-State honors his senior season where he led his team to a WPIAL Class 3A championship and an appearance in the PIAA title game.

Ranked as one of the top recruits in the nation, Whitehead left quite the legacy behind, known for his strong work ethic, freakish athletic ability, and as the program's all-time leading rusher. However, that last accolade might soon change.

Alexander, now a senior at Central Valley, is just 32 yards shy of passing Whitehead's career mark of 3,525 yards on the ground. Over the past few seasons, Alexander has worked to live up to the high expectations that come from being a well-known youth football star.

After injuries prevented his high school career from taking off at the speed he would've liked it to, Alexander had a breakout season last fall, earning All-State honors while helping Central Valley capture its first PIAA Championship in program history.

"I had some setbacks," Alexander said. "After those injuries in the early years, I feel like people started to think that I wasn't going to be the player they imagined I would. I just kept working and working. Thankfully, over the last two seasons, I've been able to contribute well for my team."

Entering his senior season, Alexander says he had many goals. At the top of the list was a third straight WPIAL 3A title and a second-straight state championship. Next was attracting more offers from teams at the next level. Finally, there was Whitehead's record.

Holding a career record for any program is an honor, but having your name above Jordan Whitehead's at Central Valley is different. In the program's 12 years of existence, Whitehead is viewed by many as the first great star to have played his entire career for the Warriors. The Super Bowl champion serves as a high bar that both current and future Central Valley football standouts hope to reach — with Alexander being one of them.

"I remember looking up to him when I was a kid," Alexander said. "I wanted to do the things he did on the football field. The name Jordan Whitehead is a very good name around here. People still pay attention to what he does. They will remember him for a while."

Knowing that his influence can make a difference, Whitehead has gone out of his way to form a relationship with Alexander. Over the years, the two have kept in touch, mainly through offseason workouts and battles online in games of Madden.

Alexander says it's inspiring to watch Jordan's journey to the NFL. On the flip side, Whitehead says it's been fun watching Landon's develop into the player he is today.

"I remember watching him when he was maybe like seven or eight years-old," Whitehead said. "Every time I look at his highlights online, he keeps getting older and bigger. He's like a grown man now."

Someone that's had the chance to watch both Whitehead and Alexander grow is Central Valley head coach Mark Lyons. He believes there is one common trait the two share that has helped both find success.

"If there is a similarity, it's their determination to be good every day," Lyons said. "When I say determination to be good, it's not just being at their best on Friday nights. It's being at their best on Monday through Thursday, taking care of all the work that you have to do."

Thanks to Alexander's work ethic he will have a chance to build upon his own legacy on the biggest stage in Western Pennsylvania.

Just one big run away from a top spot in the record book, it's looking like the senior will become Central Valley's all-time leading rusher on Saturday, when his team faces North Catholic in the WPIAL Class 3A Championship at Heinz Field.

Alexander says the record won't mean a thing if he and his teammates don't get the job done, but admits the contest has potential to make for a very special day. Whitehead won't be in attendance, but says he will be watching with excitement, hoping to see the one-time Friday Night Tykes star join him and a few others on the short list of Central Valley legends.

"He's definitely held up to the high standards that many set for him," Whitehead said. "He's doing some great things. I'm excited for him. He wants the record but I know he wants a second state championship more. I hope he reaches both goals."

Contact Noah Hiles at nhiles@gannett.com. Follow him on twitter @_NoahHiles.

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Whitehead 'excited' to see Alexander become Central Valley's all-time leading rusher