Before every game, Richards junior running back Jordan Lewis says he visits his father's grave for a long talk. His father, Jajuan, died when Lewis was 3. Lewis describes him as his best friend and says they talk every day.
On Nov. 7, Lewis carried 37 times for 292 yards and two touchdowns as Richards beat host Glenbard North 21-18 in Carol Stream in a Class 7A second-round game, according to Southwest Regional Publishing. The Bulldogs also got 121 rushing yards and a touchdown from quarterback Eric Jacobs.
A Winding Path Back to Richards
Lewis's path to that performance wasn't a straight line. After a year at Thornwood, he returned to Richards, according to Southwest Regional Publishing.
In Richards' Oct. 2 rivalry win over Oak Lawn, Lewis had 132 yards on 16 carries and scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 68-yard reception.
Carrying His Father's Memory Onto the Field
Richards coach Tony Sheehan has described Lewis as a tough runner who welcomes contact. Lewis's graveside visits before games are part of a personal routine he has described alongside his daily conversations with his father.
Support available to students
For students coping with a parent's death, Community High School District 218 says its social workers offer individual and group counseling, parent education, and referrals to community agencies. The district information does not establish whether Lewis used these services.
Lewis has said Richards is focused on the future and playing together, a mentality that showed up again in the Bulldogs' first-round playoff win. Richards beat Niles North 50-8 in Oak Lawn on Oct. 31, with Lewis scoring both a receiving touchdown and a rushing touchdown in that game, according to the Tribune's coverage.
Next Test: A 10-1 Downers Grove North Squad
Richards, now 9-2, is scheduled to host 10-1 Downers Grove North in the Class 7A quarterfinals, with kickoff set for 1 p.m. Saturday, according to Southwest Regional Publishing.
The quarterfinal is another chance for Lewis to carry his father's memory onto the field as Richards continues its playoff run.
