Wisconsin High School Sports | Wisconsin Sports Network | WisSports.net

Wisconsin Sports Network and WisSports.net are proud to announce Kenosha Bradford senior Melvin Gordon as the 2010 recipient of the Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch Award as the most outstanding senior running back in Wisconsin, part of the WSN Senior Football Awards.

Gordon was part of an explosive offense that helped Bradford to an 8-1 regular season record and berth in the Level 4 WIAA playoffs. On the season, Gordon rushed 158 times for 2009 yards (12.7 yards per carry) and scored a state-best 38 touchdowns on the ground. A versatile athlete, Gordon also was dangerous in the passing game, catching 10 balls for 326 yards and 3 more scores.

Gordon rushed for more than 100 yards in all but one game this year (91 on just 8 carries in a Week 3 56-6 blowout of Racine Park) with a season-high 291 yards and four touchdowns in a Week 2 48-17 win over then #2 Stevens Point, a state finalist this season in Division 1. He scored a touchdown in all 13 Red Devil games, with multiple scores in all but one contest.

Melvin was recently selected as the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Offensive Player of the Year in addition to being a 1st team All-State selection.

Kenosha Bradford head coach Jed Kennedy had high praise for Gordon:  "He is the best player in the state regardless of position."

Finalists for the award were Gordon, Justin Fowlkes of Delavan-Darien, Jaime Hofer of Middleton, Logan Lauters of Cedarburg, Dakota Runde of Potosi, and Ben Wassink of Kimberly.

The award is named after "Crazylegs" Hirsch, a legendary athlete from Wausau High School who later starred at both the University of Wisconsin and the University of Michigan. Hirsch spent 12 seasons in professional football, including nine seasons with the Los Angeles Rams who moved him to end. His 1951 season is one of the greatest receiving years in NFL history. He caught 66 passes for a record 1495 yards and 17 touchdowns. The yardage mark wasn’t broken for 19 years while his 17 touchdowns tied the record and wasn’t broken until 1984. He later served as the Wisconsin athletic director from 1969 to 1987, overseeing a revival of UW athletics. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1968. Hirsch passed away in 2004.

The voting panel for the WSN Senior Football Awards consisted of:  Nicholas Kartos, WSN President and Founder; Travis Wilson, WSN Content Manager; Dennis Semrau, Wisconsin State Journal; Justin Hull, AM 1570 The Score in Appleton; John Casper Jr., Eau Claire Leader-Telegram; Dan Barwick, WSN Associate Content Producer