It’s hard to believe but after only three games, there may be a leader for the state’s coveted Mr. Football award already in the clubhouse.

His name? Alvin Henderson.

For the third straight year, the Elba running back and Auburn commit is putting up video game numbers.

In last week’s 80-78, four-overtime loss – Yes, loss – to McKenzie, Henderson rushed for 441 yards and a single-game record-tying 9 touchdowns on 40 carries. He originally was credited with 10 TDs to set the record, but Elba film review over the weekend revealed one of the touchdowns was scored by quarterback Cayden Atkins.

It doesn’t matter. The numbers are still astounding and have been for three years. Through three games in his senior season, Henderson has rushed for 948 yards and 17 touchdowns on 77 carries – an average of 12.3 yards per carry and 316 yards per game.

The fact that his team, which came into the season ranked No. 1, is now 1-2 is shocking considering the numbers.

Henderson’s name is already in the Alabama High School Athletic Association record books multiple times, and he is inching closer to one of the state’s top individual records – career rushing yards.

Henderson entered the season with 7,274 yards on the ground. After three games, that total is now up to 8,222. That puts him sixth on the AHSAA’s career rushing list behind this group of former high school stars:

Mac Campbell, Alexandria (9,839)

Terrance Hollingsworth, Berry (9,819)

Terrance Wilkes, Wadley (9,668)

Jamarius Henderson, Dale County (9,207)

Tim Simon, Cordova (8,536)

Henderson needs 1,618 yards to break Campbell’s all-time record and 1,778 yards to go where no Alabama running back has gone before – the 10,000-yard mark. If his team only plays the seven remaining regular-season games, he would need to average 254 yards per game to make it to 10,000.

A year ago, Elba went all the way to the state semifinals.

In other words, look out.

A sad season

It continues to be a tough opening month across the state of Alabama.

Already this year, we’ve had a pair of football players – Morgan Academy’s Caden Tellier and New Brockton’s Semaj Wilkins – die after collapsing on the playing field.

This week, the high school sports community lost two more players and a well-known basketball coach.

Pleasant Grove junior football player Lyndon Kinds died following a traffic accident on Saturday morning. Also, earlier this week, Gordo’s Jack Plowman died after a long battle with cancer.

On Sunday, Samford University announced that basketball director of player development T.J. Perry had died. Perry was a longtime basketball coach with the girls and boys programs at Skyline.

Prayers out to all the families and schools involved.

Hug your loved ones tight, my friends.

Thought for the Day

“If you can’t think of anything nice to say to someone – think of something nice and say it!”

Ben Thomas is the high school managing producer at AL.com. He has been named one of the 50 legends of the Alabama Sports Writers Association. Follow him on twitter at @BenThomasPreps or email him at bthomas@al.com . He can be heard weekly on “Inside High School Sports” on SportsTalk 99.5 FM in Mobile or on the free IHeart Radio App at 2 p.m. Wednesdays.