Wylie defensive end Ryan Price has had a lot put on his plate this season.

As one of just three returning starters from last year’s defense — and the top returning producer after tallying 61 tackles, five tackles for loss and three sacks for that unit — the 6-foot-1, 230-pound senior was tasked with leading a young Bulldogs defense through a minefield of a schedule that would test both its ability and resolve.

Through his steady — and sometimes spectacular — play and rock-solid example, Price has shouldered that weight well. And in doing so, he’s been a key part of a defensive transformation that has the Bulldogs riding a six-game winning streak into Friday’s area-round playoff matchup at Colleyville Heritage.