Dan River's Trey Edmunds lit up scoreboards during his senior season

Dan River coach Ferrell Edmunds made the point after a victory over Altavista during the regular season that his son, Trey Edmunds, would run hard “in rain, sleet, snow or whatever.”

During his memorable senior season, it typically didn’t matter what the weather was like on the football field as the younger Edmunds’ intensity fueled him to bring out the best in himself and his teammates.

And there wasn’t much that could contain the fire within Edmunds every Friday night when he did everything he could to help Dan River reach new heights and etch his name in the Dan River football record books.

“I just wanted to go out each night and give people a reason to come out,” Edmunds said. “I just wanted to go out and showcase my talent. Each night when I put on this uniform, I don’t just want to be an average player, I want to be greater than that. I want to be someone who can be remembered.”

Edmunds gave fans on both sidelines something to remember every week, especially with all eyes on him after verbally committing to Virginia Tech in August.

And the 6-foot-2, 205-pound running back gave fans plenty cheer for and look forward to as he rushed for 2,596 yards and 33 touchdowns on 283 carries, accounting for 61.5 percent of Dan River’s offense during the Wildcats’ deep postseason run.

One of the most electrifying offensive players in the area for the entire season, Edmunds is the 2011 Danville Register & Bee All-Metro football offensive player of the year.

Edmunds set several goals for his senior season, most of which he met while proving to any doubters of why he was heading to Virginia Tech. He rushed for 2,000 yards and guided the Wildcats to the playoffs for the first time since 2001.

In the process, Dan River won twice and was on the doorstep of advancing to the Group A, Division 2, state tournament.

In the Wildcats’ three postseason games, Edmunds rushed for 696 yards and 10 touchdowns, which would be a solid season for typical high school running backs. But there was nothing typical of Edmunds’ season, which many coaches noted in preparing for him and Dan River.

“Trey’s a special kid and a special athlete,” Gretna coach Kevin Saunders said prior to the Hawks hosting Dan River to close the regular season. “He’s done well for himself and his family [and is] a class kid. … He’s not a Division I football player because of his last name. He’s a Division I football player because of how good he is.”

One of the last goals Edmunds set for the season was to have his team become a family on and off the field. As the unquestioned leader of the team, the locker room became a family as the wins continued rolling in and the season kept going on for three additional weeks.

“It was marvelous. This season we made history; we did things other Dan River teams haven’t done,” Edmunds said. “We bonded together as a family. We just enjoyed ourselves this season. Win, lose or draw at the end, I feel that we’re still successful and accomplished for the most part what we needed to accomplish.”