Morgan Park senior Travezz Jones has a flair for getting open.
The 5-foot-10, 165-pound wide receiver also has a superb sense of timing.
”The ball was there, and I knew I had to help out my team and get us going because we were playing kind of flat,” he said. “That brought us all of the energy that we needed.”
Indeed, Jones’ touchdown catch and 2-point conversion fueled the Mustangs’ 24-14 comeback win over Kenwood in the city championship game at Lane Stadium in Chicago on Saturday.
Junior quarterback Ronald Smith Jr. finished 14 of 21 passing for 181 yards and three TD scores for Morgan Park (8-1), which had won the Public League Red Star title. Junior wide receiver Jaxon Bland also had a TD catch and a 2-point conversion.
Junior quarterback Malachi Henigan threw a 78-yard TD pass to senior wide receiver Lawrence Carr and scored on a four-yard TD run for the Broncos (6-3), who had won the Public League Red Shield title.
Jones finished with a team-best five catches for 76 yards.
“I’ve had him all four years, and he’s just really come of age and become so much more mature,” Morgan Park coach Chris James said. “I knew we had to go to him.
“When we needed him the most, he really stepped up and made plays. He’s always ready to make plays.”
Jones’ 27-yard TD catch in the third quarter erased the Broncos’ 14-8 halftime advantage.
“They made a mistake with no safety over the top,” Smith said. “We looked at each other, and we knew it was coming.
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“We have an unbreakable bond, and I always know to look for him. We also know when something great is about to happen.”
Jones’ speed and flair in the open field created havoc for Kenwood’s defense.
“My game is very fast and physical, and they tried to get me out of my game with their talking,” he said. “All that did was put a bigger target on their back.”
Jones’ 23-yard catch on third-and-19 also set up Bland’s game-sealing TD in the fourth quarter.
“The game is all about confidence, and I had so much after I scored the touchdown,” Jones said. “I was going to do whatever possible just to keep the offense rolling.”
Jones moves all over the field to create mismatches. He has the quickness to play on the outside, but he’s most dangerous and opportunistic when he’s playing slot receiver, illustrated by his go-ahead TD.
Jones calls his route running, ability to track the ball and excellent hands his best qualities.
“Each year, my role has gotten bigger, and now I feel like I’m one of the main pieces of the offense,” he said. “More and more I just feel like the offense revolves around me.”
Jones, who has a scholarship offer from Western Illinois, looks to continue the Mustangs’ history of producing college receivers. Spurred by his older cousins, he quickly found his groove and natural role as a playmaker.
“My bigger cousins were a big influence on me, and I think I recognized ever since I was a kid that I had talent,” Jones said. “I always knew I was athletic, and I was probably fully locked in around the age of 7 or 8.”
Jones’ easy rapport with Smith and Bland correlate to how easily they all connect on the field, where Jones lets his play do the talking.
“That competitive part, I think, is just something I was born with,” he said. “I adapted it as soon as I picked up a football.
“I know how good I am, and when I touch the ball, I just go out and do my thing.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter.