Having carved out his role as a kick returner, Brother Rice senior KJ Morris knows he may only get on the field a few times a game. And the ball might not even get kicked in his direction when he does.
So, when Morris does get his chance to shine, he’s determined to make it count.
“Every moment, I try to take advantage of,” Morris said. “You only get a limited amount of time in life, so I try to make the most of every chance I get.”
Morris made his mark Saturday, returning the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown and adding a 45-yard punt return TD as the Crusaders rolled to a 48-0 win over host St. Patrick in a CCL/ESCC crossover at Triton College in River Grove.
CJ Gray completed 10 of 15 passes for 104 yards and two TDs for Brother Rice (2-3), while Tyler Lofton ran for 100 yards and a TD on 12 carries. Jameson Davis and Josh Garcia each added a TD run, while Kris Love and Jimmie Maxson III each had a TD catch.
Conner Stack and Keith Edwards each had an interception and Brian O’Sullivan added a sack to lead Brother Rice’s defense, which held St. Patrick (2-3) to 80 yards of offense.
The Crusaders came into Saturday’s matchup on a three-game losing streak, with all the defeats coming by seven points to Marist, St. Rita and Loyola.
So, when Morris received the opening kickoff and took it all the way to the end zone, Brother Rice coach Casey Quedenfeld said it provided a big lift for a team looking to get back on track.
“I think it was much needed,” Quedenfeld said. “KJ usually does a really good job whenever he gets an opportunity. The last two weeks, he hasn’t really had an opportunity to return one, so he got the opportunity in this game and we did some really good things.
“Any time you start the game on an impactful play, that helps the kids get really zeroed in and also the coaching staff.”
Morris added the 45-yard punt return TD in the second half. They were the first two return TDs of his high school career.
He said he relishes the opportunity to spark his team.
“Returning kicks was just something that I tried out freshman year, and I was just one of those guys that was just great at it,” Morris said. “It was just a natural fit for me. I stuck with it, the coaches believed in me and I kept getting better every season.
“I just know I can do something to boost our team.”
Morris also plays basketball for the Crusaders, and that makes him better on the football field.
“It definitely keeps me busy,” Morris said. “There are different things I have to learn in the different seasons. Football definitely gets me stronger and ready for the basketball season. Basketball helps me with conditioning, and I’m always the most conditioned coming into football.”
The Crusaders jumped in front 21-0 after a quarter Saturday and cruised from there.
Gray said his team remained optimistic despite the three-game losing streak.
“Just knowing what we put into it,” Gray said. “Those were all close games and we made mistakes that we can fix. We’re keeping our spirits up and our energy high because we know we can do good things.”
Of course, if there were any lingering doubts going into Saturday, Morris helped erase them on the first play of the game.
He certainly made the most of his moments.
“I love being with these guys every day,” Morris said. “These are great moments in life. It goes by fast, so you have to take it all in.”
