Athlete of the Week- Presented by Wings on Brookwood
By Connor Hartford- BNN Senior
Badin senior running back and defensive back Lem Grayson has established himself as one of the grittiest players on the field this season. On Badin’s home-opener in the new Lnni Family stadium against Edgewood, Grayson delivered a performance that left no doubt about his impact, rushing for 148 yards on 19 carries; getting into the end zone three times. His effort was the difference in Badin’s 32-18 win, a game that showed exactly why opponents don’t want to line up against the Rams.
Through three games, Grayson has been a workhorse for Badin’s offense. He has totaled 353 rushing yards on 48 carries, averaging 7.4 yards per touch, and already has racked up eight touchdowns. Add in five catches for 26 yards, and he’s proving he can beat defenses in more ways than one.
Lem Grayson isn’t padding stats; he’s setting the tone. Against Dixie Heights in Week 2, he broke loose for 158 yards and four touchdowns on only 14 carries, highlighted by an 88-yard run that broke the game wide open. A week earlier against Hamilton, he carried the ball 15 times for 47 yards and still found a way to score. Every game, he finds ways to make plays when the team needs them most.
When asked what the team’s early success has meant to him, Grayson’s answer showed the mindset behind Badin’s hot start.
“My main goal is for the team to have success, so when we’re winning, it’s more of a replenishing feeling for me,” Grayson said. “With that comes great vibes with the guys in the locker room and chemistry on the field. Knowing that we’re successful in that moment, we also have to know there’s more work to be done and that we can’t get too ahead of ourselves and focus on the main goals.”
Having that balance, enjoying wins but keeping focused, is part of what makes this Badin team dangerous. They aren’t satisfied. Lem himself made it clear what pushes him every day.
“What keeps me going every day, I would say, is my family, the man above, and the fear of failure,” he said. “When it all ends, I want to be known as a guy who makes the sacrifices so that everyone else succeeds.”
Badin has opened the year 3-0 with convincing wins over Hamilton, Dixie Heights, and Edgewood. The Rams play a brand of football that’s physical, disciplined, and hard to match. At the center of it is Lem Grayson, who will take his Badin team up to Columbus this weekend to face St. Francis DeSales under those Friday night lights looking to add to that undefeated-record by one more.
#HarkYe
