Highland Park’s Lucas Gordon might not have been well known outside the program a week ago.
That changed quickly for the junior wide receiver/safety.
“I’ve been really looking forward to the season and haven’t been thinking about much else,” Gordon said. “I’ll be able to have a lot of opportunities, and I’m definitely ready to go.”
Gordon was undoubtedly ready for the Giants’ season opener on Aug. 30, and he needed to be because he didn’t leave the field during their 30-27 loss to Leyden. He even returned kicks on special teams.
Gordon made his presence felt too. He had four catches for 240 yards and three touchdowns, exceeding his 2023 totals in the latter two categories. Remarkably, all four of his grabs went over 50 yards.
“It didn’t really hit me until the next morning when we were watching film and a coach came up to me and told me,” Gordon said. “I was still really mad about the loss, but I guess it is kind of cool.”
Also notable, Gordon made all of his catches by running a single route.
“They were giving me the streak route, so we kept doing it,” he said. “We had already hit it twice at the half, so we figured they would bracket in the second half. But they kept guarding me one-on-one. It was a pretty simple thing.”
Gordon made it look simple, but it’s no fluke that he looked so polished. During the summer, Gordon and senior quarterback Michael Bryant drove together to Wolters Field two or three times per week and developed a connection they hope to utilize throughout the season.
“He put the ball right over my shoulder, but we had been practicing that,” Gordon said. “At this point, we could do it with our eyes closed.”
Gordan had 17 catches for 230 yards and a touchdown last year. Having seen Gordon in practice, too, and then in summer workouts, Bryant became a firm believer in Gordon’s potential.
“He’s always been the guy, in my opinion,” Bryant said. “He works very hard and has that ability to go out and make plays.”
It might seem like Gordon came out of nowhere, but people within Highland Park’s program knew he could make an impact in the passing game.
“In the summer, we saw things from him where we felt if teams do certain things to defend him, he would burn them,” Highland Park coach Anthony Kopp said. “He runs sharp routes, and he has fast enough football speed that he can run by you.”
Gordon’s speed and football IQ make him a valuable player on defense too. He played a big role in the secondary last year, recording 64 tackles and returning an interception for a touchdown. He’s poised to be even more effective this season because he knows what receivers like to do.
“If you can get someone to flip his hips, it’s an instant tell,” Gordon said of setting up defensive backs. “As a receiver, you’re saying, ‘now I can get open.’ It leaves them vulnerable.”
Kopp trusts Gordon to make an array of defensive calls in the secondary. But Gordon knows there are other areas of his game that he can enhance.
“I feel pretty comfortable at safety, especially playing the pass,” he said. “But I need to be more physical.”
Gordon placed an emphasis on being in tip-top shape. After wide receivers Johnny Walker and Nicholas Blumer graduated, Gordon knew he would get many more offensive snaps this season.
“Being out there every play is definitely not annoying,” Gordon said. “I want to be the guy who can be there every play for my team. I like my conditioning between sprints, jogs and repetitions. Running a ton of routes builds conditioning too. I just make sure to stay consistent.”
Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter.
