Back-to-back 200-yard performances for Hudson Catholic back
Jonathan Calderon knew that having a new head football coach at Hudson Catholic High School meant he was getting a brand new start to prove himself as a top-flight running back.
Being the good student that he is, Calderon also did his homework about the new coach, namely Rob Stern, who once coached at Hudson Catholic, then moved up the block to St. Peter’s College, before returning to Hudson last June.
"I knew that having a new coach meant that he was coming in with no spots guaranteed," Calderon said. "I knew that I had to earn my spot. I knew I had to prove myself. I also knew that he was a coach that liked to run the ball, so I figured that would help me."
So Calderon worked hard to improve his speed and strength, hitting the weight room diligently.
"I was real small last year and it hurt me," said Calderon, who is now listed as a 5-foot-10, 160-pound junior, but played at perhaps 140 pounds a year ago. "Coming into the year, I really felt stronger. I wasn’t about to let my teammates down."
Stern said that he had a sense that Calderon would be able to handle the responsibilities of being the premier running back in the Hawks’ offense.
"I saw Jon run a little bit late in the season last year," Stern said. "I thought he was a pretty good back. He had good shiftiness and good speed. When I got to know him in June, I could tell that he was very smart and bright and was able to take a grasp of what we were doing right away. You tell him once what he has to do and he has the knowledge where to be and what to do."
So Stern knew that Calderon would be his featured back, but the coach never knew just how comfortable the talented speedster would become just two weeks into the new role.
"Did I know that he would get the ball 20 times a game?" Stern asked. "No way. I questioned the physicality. He doesn’t have a great frame. I wondered about his physical toughness and mental toughness."
However, two weeks into the 2003 high school football season, Stern no longer has any doubt, because Calderon has exceeded all expectations in becoming one of Hudson County’s premier performers thus far.
In the season opener against Union Hill, Calderon rushed for 216 yards and scored two touchdowns in a 38-0 victory. Last weekend, Calderon did it again, eclipsing the 200-yard mark for a second straight week, collecting 226 yards and two touchdowns in a 20-20 tie with Emerson.
For his efforts, Calderon has been selected as The Hudson Reporter Athlete of the Week for the past week. Calderon is the first such honoree for the 2003-2004 scholastic sports season. The weekly feature will culminate in June of 2004 with the presentation of the 12th Annual Athlete of the Year Award, given to the top local athlete who shines in more than one varsity sport.
Calderon’s talents really shined brightly last week, when he broke loose for a 99-yard touchdown run, running past Emerson’s talented Jeffrey Pena to get to the end zone.
"They ran stride for stride and Jonathan took it to the house," Stern said. "There’s a difference between clocked speed and game speed. Jonathan proved that he had game speed with that run."
"I didn’t even look back, because I was told if you look back, you slow down," Calderon said. "The line made good blocks and I found a hole and bounced it outside. Then, it was just me and him and I was able to get the touchdown. I thought I would get caught, but I didn’t get caught."
Stern said that he was also impressed with the strong running that Calderon showed.
"We lined up and gave it to him three, four times in a row," Stern said. "He stuck his head down and carried the pack. There was no secret in what we were going to do. That’s what impressed me the most. We kept giving him the ball and he kept getting first downs."
Stern believes that Calderon has just scratched the surface of what could become a very promising future.
"He absolutely can do better," Stern said. "He was a guy who didn’t get the ball a lot. Now, he’s become a go-to guy and becoming the workhorse. I think he now has two 200-yard games under his belt with tapes of those games to be sent to colleges. After seeing what he can do, I think there’s some school in America that will take a chance on him down the road. He’s on pace for a 2,000-yard season. I don’t think he’s going to get 200 yards every week, but he’s doing great things thus far."
Calderon knows that the bloom is off the rose and everyone now knows of his abilities.
"I know that the other teams will be putting their schemes on me, so I have to work harder now," Calderon said. "I just hope I can continue. I look at this as a good start, but I hope there are other games like this."
Next up for Calderon and the Hawks? North Bergen, a team that Hudson Catholic has never defeated in its history.
"I never expected anything like this," Calderon said. "Not at all. I’m very pleased and surprised with that has happened."
It’s obvious that the new coaching staff is equally shocked and elated. – Jim Hague