The New York City team was practicing…
By Mitch Abramson
Kavelle Gordon, all 5-foot-9 of him, was trying to find his way. He darted though a gap the size of a mouse hole and side stepped would be tacklers as if he was back at August Martin, making it all look easy again.
The New York City team was practicing Monday for Thursday night’s Empire Challenge against Long Island at Hofstra University, and Gordon, one of seven Queens’ products chosen for the All-Star exhibition, was fitting in and impressing his peers.
Surrounded by players going to big schools at the New York Jets training facilities at Hofstra University in Hempstead, Gordon, a running back who rushed for 1,111 yards and five touchdowns last season, was a long way from Jamaica where he went to school and starred for the Falcons.
“It’s an honor to be part of this game. August Martin isn’t really recognized for football so it’s definitely great playing with so many good players,” said the Rosedale resident. “After we went 0-8 two seasons ago, people were kind of down on us. They thought that we were going to have another bad season, but we went 4-4 last year and made the playoffs. I think we surprised some people.”
Gordon’s punishing runs have raised some eyebrows and scraped the lacquer off some of his more celebrated teammates, earning him the recognition of his coaching staff and a place in the crowded New York City backfield.
“Kavelle made a cut up field in practice one time this week that was amazing,” said Brooklyn Tech coach Jim DiBenedetto, the coordinator for New York City. “During a trap play, the backside was open. Most kids wouldn’t have seen the opening, but Kavelle planted his foot and ran up field about 30 yards.
“He has natural cutting ability and God-given eyesight that’s not drillable. We’re running a one-back offense, but he’ll get into the game.”
Gordon’s long-term ambition is to get a scholarship at a four-year school, but he is making a pit stop at Glendale Community College in Arizona.
If Gordon established his reputation as a player to keep an eye this week, then Christ the King’s trio of Steven Morrison, Andre Redd and Elsmore Gabriel reinforced their position as the cream of the crop.
All three helped the Royals win the CHSFL ‘AA’ title in the fall, and all three will be rewarded by playing Division I-A football next year.
“Getting into college made [all the hard work during] high school worth it,” said Morrison, a resident of Flushing. “Getting chosen for this game was a bonus.”
Gabriel can count Thursday’s game as one more blessing that has come to pass for him this season, which got off to a rocky start when the 6-foot-4, 250-pound defensive end broke his foot in the season opener.
The injury could have scared away potential suitors, but fortunately for Gabriel, he verbally committed to Clemson University two days before he got hurt.
“Thank God I did that,” he said.
It would have taken a buzz saw to keep colleges away from Morrison, who registered a team-leading 127 tackles this season and returned an interception for the game-winning score in the championship game.
Pittsburgh and Michigan expressed interest, but the University of Toledo succeeded in making Morrison feel like he belonged. Redd, his former teammate at Christ the King, will help him fit in as a roommate and teammate as he committed to Toledo as well.
As a defensive back, Redd won the defensive league MVP and led the CHSFL in interceptions with six. As a wide-receiver, Redd will start Thursday for team New York City, which trails Long Island 4-2 in the series match-up.
“I’m deadly after I catch the ball,” he said.
The game was created in 1996 to benefit the Boomer Esiason Foundation, which heightens awareness and funds researchers and doctors in the search for a cure for Cystic Fibrosis.
Reach reporter Mitch Abramson at TimesLedger@aol.com or call 718-229-0300 Ext. 130.
