By Erik Harris, sports editor
LEEDS — The Week 2 Tribune Player of the Week award goes to Leeds junior Joshua Ruff, who propelled the Green Wave to a 21-14 Class 5A, Region 6 victory over Lincoln last Friday night.
His efforts working with sophomore quarterback Jarod Latta gave Leeds (2-1, 1-0) the edge in a comeback that already pulls the team even with last year’s win total with two. Ruff hauled in 11 of Latta’s 15 completions for 172 yards, including a 31-yard go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter.
The duo also had a 56-yard scoring strike erased by a holding penalty in the third.
“I just want to thank my team,” said Ruff following the game. “They give me a lot of confidence and have confidence in me to go out there and catch balls.”
The stellar performance was well received by head coach Jerry Hood, but a few slip-ups did not go unnoticed.
“Josh (Ruff) dropped three passes too, so he’s got some punishment coming for that, but what an outstanding athlete,” said Hood.
After falling behind 7-0 early, Hood called on Ruff for a third-and-goal situation from the 1. The junior lined up at wildcat, accepted the snap and punched it in for a 7-7 tie. His versatility should be key for the Green Wave moving forward.
Previous Tribune Player of the Week recipients:
- Springville quarterback Pearson Baldwin
