CONTINUING CAREERS

By TJ MAXWELL 

Cove Leader-Press

 

Elijah and Ezekiel Jordan have been virtually attached at the hip since the day they were born. The twin brothers and best friends have shared their experiences all through high school and that journey will continue on in college.

 

“It’s great,” said Ezekiel. “He’s like my best friend. I talk to him every day. To go to college and get to play football with him again, it’s a great feeling.”

 

The brothers committed together to play football for Division III Howard Payne University during a signing ceremony held at the school on Wednesday.

 

“I’m pumped,” said Ezekiel. I’m ready for it. I can’t wait to get out there in August and get on the field again.”

 

Defensive back Sean Bedford also signed to play at Wayland Baptist University in Plainview during the ceremony.

 

The journey was a scary one for Elijah. After breaking his ankle the summer before his senior season, he was unsure if this day would ever come. Elijah’s new year was full of surprises though as Howard Payne showed interest and offered him shortly after the year began.

 

“I ended up breaking my ankle this summer and had to go through two surgeries,” said Elijah. “I had some schools looking at me but Howard Payne, even after the surgeries, still showed interest. I went on a visit in January and they offered me.”

 

Elijah credits a solid junior season for getting him his opportunity.

 

“My junior year was great – track, powerlifting and everything,” he said. “Football season was great. That’s what actually got me my offer. My junior year was an excellent time.

 

“They saw I made plays and I didn’t give up. Even if I got beat, I would still go after it and make tackles. They thought I was a hard worker.”

 

Ezekiel, who played running back, often found himself in gridiron battles with his brother Elijah, a defensive back. The brothers missed that opportunity in their senior year but are excited to do it again next year.

 

“There’s definitely a little sibling rivalry. He plays (defensive back) or cornerback so, whenever I get my chance to give him a little shove or something, I do. It’s pretty cool and I’m happy I get to do it again. He was hurt this season so we didn’t get to do it, but next season we’ll be out there working again.”

 

Seeing his brother hobbled his senior year was tough to watch, mostly because of the potential he showed as a junior.

 

“Most definitely,” he said. “He’s a great cornerback. He transferred from running back his sophomore year to cornerback as a junior and had a great season. It hurt to see him sit out his senior season because he looked promising in his first year on varsity. I was a little nervous about it but God had a plan and it all worked out.”

 

Defensive coordinator Reb Brock recalled the injury that ended Jordan’s senior season during the ceremony.

 

“We were looking forward for big things from him this year,” he said. “He had a freak thing happen in the last 7 on 7 game of the season. He went up for a ball, came down and broke his ankle. We lost him for the year.”

 

Seeing him sign to play college was rewarding, said Brock.

 

“I’m glad he worked hard, did what he was supposed to do and now he’s getting an opportunity to play college football,” he said.

 

Ezekiel was the third head of the three-headed monster at running back, along with senior Antonio Lealiiee and junior Kylan Herrera. Jordan had to do a lot of the dirty work helping opening holes for his teammates but was a valuable change of pace back.

 

“After the Schertz-Clemens game I talked to him about the three-headed monster,” said Cove offensive coordinator Tracy Welch. “It didn’t matter which running back we had in there, they just couldn’t stop us. He played some full back and tailback and ended the year with 30 carries for 120 yards and a touchdown. He did a good job for us and he was very unselfish. He did a good job blocking and could catch out of the backfield. I’m just very proud of him.”

 

The senior Bedford also gets to reunite with his brother, who’s a senior at Wayland Baptist.

 

“My brother goes there,” he said. He’s a senior. I’m just excited to get to play with my brother. It feels great. Not everybody has this opportunity so I’m just so happy.

 

“It means a lot. He’s going to be showing me around so basically I will already fit in.”

 

Bedford also battled back from a sever injury to get his chance to play collegiate football. A broken and dislocated foot ended his sophomore season. He worked back into playing form as a junior and excelled as a senior.

 

“Sean was playing or us as a sophomore and it was pretty much the same thing,” said Brock. “He broke his foot severely and dislocated it. He had surgery and missed the rest of the year. He came back and played well for us in 2014 and this year he was a stalwart in the back and played multiple positions. He had 34 tackles, three pass break ups and one caused fumble.”

 

Ezekiel put it all in perspective when he recalled the difficult practices and how fighting through it all was the most rewarding of all.

 

“It was kind of confusing freshman year when they wanted me to wake up at six in the morning and work out every day,” he said. “Once you get down to the nitty-gritty in senior year, you realize why they made you do all that stuff. I bought in and it all made sense. I appreciate them for it because they didn’t have to do it and I’m trying to make them proud.

 

“To now see it all pay off with me signing to go play in college, it feels great to know I didn’t give up. I appreciate everything. I’m really proud of myself and it’s a wonderful feeling.”