St. Joseph's Jordan Davis voted GMC Football Player of Week
For the second straight game, St. Joseph (Met.) High School junior running back Jordan Davis made a big impact during another Falcons’ triumph. He also showed another part of his game.
Davis ran for 138 yards and two touchdowns on four carries, all in the first half of Saturday’s 49-0 win over South Plainfield in a Greater Middlesex Conference White Division contest. Davis, known to his coaches and teammates as J.D., is the Week 5 GMC Football Player of the Week.
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Davis had three touchdowns in a 40-7 division win over Woodbridge in the previous game. He caught six passes for 91 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for another against the Barons.
St. Joseph coach Rich Hilliard presented Davis the chance to show his ground game skills against the Tigers. The approach in part came because senior Emmanuel Resto was nicked up, Hilliard said.
“We wanted to come out, get a good lead and rest kids,” Hilliard said.
Davis didn’t dally with the opportunity.
On the second play of the day, he carried for 28 yards. That preceded senior Garrett Klurman’s 40-yard TD reception from quarterback Paul Cocoziello.
Davis scored the next two touchdowns on runs of 54 and 50 yards, respectively, as St. Joseph built a 28-0 halftime lead. He certainly had the hot hand. Though not 100 percent, Resto still had enough to run for a 65-yard touchdown and 144 yards on 16 carries. But it was Davis’ day to be out front.
“I wouldn’t call it a breakout game for J.D. because we expect it from him,” Hilliard said.
Like a West Point legend of the late 1940s with the last name Davis – the late Glenn "Mr. Outside" Woodward Davis – Jordan Davis showed St. Joseph could go to the outside and be productive. Davis said he’s been timed at 4.5 seconds for the 40 meter dash.
“J.D. is a speedy kid. He’s got great feet, vision and balance,” Hilliard said. “He really gives you what he has on every play. He’s also a very good corner. He’s one of our strongest kids.”
Hilliard said Davis can squat lift 450 pounds and bench over 200.
That dynamic and the ability of junior left tackle John Olmstead, senior center Byron Boczon, senior left guard David Barattucci, junior right guard Valentin Cintron, junior right tackle David Barr, senior wide receiver Jon Sot and junior fullback Brian Reilly brought the kind of space that bring happiness and points to running backs.
“The first play (touchdown) was planned for the outside, and I got blocks from Olmstead and Sot, and I just saw green,” Davis said. “The second one was just great blocking by the OL and our fullback Brian Reilly. They opened up the hole, and I saw green in front of me.”