It’s not easy being a phenom and prodigy. The road to fame and fortune is littered with athletes who shined brightest at a young age, only to fade from view. If ‘Iolani’s Jordan Ross is aware of the pitfalls that come in life, he’s avoiding them like would-be tacklers on a football field.
The scholar-athlete has been tantalizing to watch for some time. His YouTube video of 2012 highlights is one of 23,500 that pop up to the search words "jordan ross football iolani." In the 6-minute, 32-second reel, edited by a friend and posted by Ross, viewers see a string of breathtaking touchdown runs against ILH intermediate league foes.
The sum total of his six freshman games: 1,078 yards and 15 touchdowns on 68 carries; five catches for 81 yards and two more touchdowns; three punt returns for touchdowns, a 37.2-yard average on six returns; and a 90-yard jaunt to paydirt on his lone kickoff return.
But that’s all against eighth- and ninth-graders, right?
ROSS HASN’T BEEN bad as a starting sophomore running back for the Raiders. In his first three varsity games — freshmen aren’t allowed to play varsity football in the ILH — Ross has 383 yards and seven TDs on just 33 attempts. His blazing acceleration from the handoff still makes most defenders look slow-motion, even at the varsity level.
He leaves defenders in the dust in a manner that seems almost routine. In the opener against Kalani at the Father Bray Classic, Ross rushed for 100 yards on a mere seven carries, scoring three touchdowns. He also caught a pass for 3 yards, hitting his "touch count" in the first half and sitting out the second in a 51-36 win.
Division I powerhouse Leilehua bottled him up to an extent, limiting Ross to 76 rushing yards on 18 carries and no touchdowns in a 56-35 win over the Raiders.
Then came Saturday afternoon’s matchup with BIIF D-II power Kamehameha-Hawaii: 206 yards on eight carries, touchdown runs of 22, 32, 46 and 84 yards, all before halftime.
AT 5-FOOT-8 and 164 pounds Ross is lighter than he was a year ago. And faster. As he gains strength and size — he keeps working on his speed as a sprinter on the track team — there will be fewer linebackers able to take him down on first contact.
That strength, Raiders coach Wendell Look says, will come with time. But the comparison of Ross to the most prolific running back in state history, ‘Iolani’s Joe Igber, is a double-edged sword. A young athlete doesn’t need additional pressure, but there’s no denying talent.
"That’s where he reminds me of Joe," said Look, who was early in what has become a 23-year tenure as head coach. "He has a similar style of running the ball. You can’t teach that."
Ross never got to see Igber play, but he’s heard the stories.
"I feel pressure as all high school players do, but my coaches, teammates and family members are extremely supportive, so that makes it more of a joy to play than a burden," Ross said in an email. "I am honored to be even compared to Joe Igber. He was a phenomenal athlete and legendary running back. I have a few more years ahead of me to keep working hard to maybe reach that high level of excellence."
Igber, who went on to play for Cal, set state records of 27 rushing touchdowns and 4,472 yards for his career. Look was there when Igber bolted for a then-state-record 352 yards in a 45-35 win over Pac-Five in 1998. In all, Igber amassed six of the seven highest single-game rushing totals in school history. Ross had an outside shot at breaking Igber’s mark on Saturday against KS-Hawaii, but this is ‘Iolani. One Team. And Ross was done by intermission with the Raiders ahead 36-0 and the second half speeding by on a running clock.
Not that Ross would’ve been concerned.
"Everybody compares them (Ross and Igber), but their similarities are more as people," said Look. "Both of them have great integrity and work ethic. Jordan is a good student and he doesn’t say very much. He’s a humble kid and appreciative of what he has, the talents that he’s been given. He doesn’t make a big deal of it."
ROSS’ PARENTS, Walter Ross and Denise Kunitake, have seen their son emerge as a math honors student who loves to hit the beach on Sundays. Both parents were track and field athletes in high school.
"He’s a tech fiend," says Walter. "He loves the water. He’s a typical local boy."
Look understands some of the issues that could surround Ross at such a young age: Too much media attention. Too much hype. Too many distractions.
"I don’t think that’s going to be a concern for Jordan. As a sophomore, he has great perspective," Look said.
Whatever spotlight shines on a talent like Ross, Igber said, it will be for the best.
"It’s good to get exposure. One day, he’ll be old like me and look back. He just has to study, stay close to his friends and always show respect to the opponent," Igber said. "I can’t imagine with Coach Look there how anything else would have a bad effect on him."
