The National Football Foundation (NFF) Oregon Chapter has recognized Perry for his excellence in athletics, academics, leadership, and community service. He is one of 130 total nominated applicants for this honor in Oregon, and will attend the 57th Scholar-Athlete Banquet being held on February 25th here in Portland.
Perry led the Royals in total touchdowns, as well as total tackles and solo tackles for the 2017 season. His stats on offense and defense, include rushing - 57 carries, 313 yards, 5.49 yards average per carry with five touchdowns; receiving - 6 receptions for 65 yards, 13 average yards per reception resulting in three touchdowns. Also 69 tackles – 35 solo and 34 assists; one interception, and one fumble recovery are equally impressive, earning him All-League Award for 1st Team Flex Player, and 2nd Team Defensive Back in the Lewis & Clark League.
All 16 Finalists will receive a scholarship of between $750 and $1500, depending on the number of points awarded in their individual division. Criteria for the award include but are not limited to academic achievement, athletic accomplishments and community leadership. With 120 chapters and more than 12,000 members, the NFF Chapter Network impacts more than 500,000 student-athletes at 5,000 high schools in 47 states each year. The centerpiece of their efforts are the annual chapter awards banquets, which recognize more than 3,500 of the nation’s top scholar-athletes and distribute more than $1 million in scholarships. For more information on the banquet, go to http://nfforegon.org/.
Perry, who started PCS in kindergarten and will graduate this June, was attracted to football when watching his older brother Tucker play the sport. Football runs in his blood - his father, Byron Perry, was the football coach when Perry began playing football in third grade.
Asked about football’s impact on his life, Perry says he learned some leadership qualities, including to “trust the person next to you. . . because if you don’t play the assignment you’re given, then the play won’t work, and you can’t take the other person’s role either.” He noted, “you get hit a lot in [in football] and it teaches you to get back up when you are knocked down. You learn to be a man.”
During the winter, Perry plays basketball and is looking forward to this spring, when baseball season starts. When the track and field meets begin, he will run the relays. This busy athlete is also in the National Honor Society and is the Student Council senior class representative.
Depending on where he goes to university, Perry believes that he’ll continue participating in sports, either football or baseball, especially if it’s one of the smaller colleges. As a PCS “lifer,” attending from K to grade 12, he cherishes the value of an education in a small school. He recognizes that he’s received a good education here at PCS where the teachers know him, and he knows all the teachers.
Asked if he would send his own kids to PCS if and when he has any, he responds with a resounding “Yes” . . . provided he is living in Portland. PCS is already looking forward to the next generation of Perry’s!
Photo credits: Beth Mumford