Independence receiver Cyrus Goodson has a goofy demeanor.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing, in fact it might be why he’s not high-strung.
“It comes from my dad,” Goodson said. “My mom and my brother, they’re kind of always worked up about something but my dad, he’s kind of just chilled, laid back and likes to have a good time.”
The sidelines and dugouts around the state aren’t immune to the junior’s laid-back approach and demeanor. When things have gone wrong for the Patriots, something that’s rarely happened in 2021, he’s served as the comedic relief. He’ll often crack a joke to lighten the mood
“That’s a tough one,” Goodson said when asked to pull from his stable.” During the first half of the Midland Trail game I tried to crack a few jokes and get everybody cheered up so hopefully we come back by halftime. That was probably the worst. I don’t remember what the jokes are but if something happens in the game I’ll start joking about it or if something happens at school that day I’ll start joking about it. Whatever I can see to cheer people up, I’ll start joking about it.”
Another way Goodson’s cheered his teammates up is with his performance on the field. In an offense loaded with weapons the electric wideout is amongst the best.
His 17 catches on the season are second on the team but he leads it in receiving yards with 463. Factor in the six touchdowns and three interceptions he’s accumulated and it’s easy to see why he brings a smile to the face of his peers.
He’s hoping to do so again on Friday as the No. 2-seeded Patriots host No. 15 Shady Spring in the opening round of the playoffs.
If history’s any indication he’ll do just that.
Across various sports Goodson has terrorized the Tigers, something that’s not lost on him. It dates back to June when the two schools met in a winner-take-all baseball sectional championship game at Independence. With the score tied 1-1 in the sixth inning, Goodson, playing center field in stead of his older brother Atticus, crushed a two-run go-ahead homer that ultimately decided the game.
He followed that up this past September on the gridiron with a four-catch, 114-yard receiving performance against Shady where he caught a touchdown on offense and returned an interception 56 yards for another score. Go back a year and you’ll uncover a two-catch performance in which he caught a 41-yard scoring strike.
“It’s just a rivalry,” Goodson said with a grin. “It’s always nice to beat a rival — definitely Shady. But it’s just whenever you play a rival you want to perform the best possible and I try and do that every game but especially against them.”
While Goodson’s found success at wide receiver it’s a position he was unfamiliar with prior to high school. Still, he’s adapted to it quickly. His lanky frame, explosive athleticism and soft hands made him a natural fit after years in the backfield. He’s grown to appreciate it if for no other reason than it hurts a little less.
“I’ve been a running back my whole life,” Goodson said. “I was coming in and I had just hit a growth spurt my 8th grade year going into my freshman year. I didn’t play football my freshman year and freshman summer I started working out with my brother a little bit, running a couple routes and catching it. People were telling me I was pretty good at it so I kind of took it serious and took off from there. My body’s a lot less sore after games than when I was a running back.”
“I think he’s always been in the shadows of Atticus and a lot of people really don’t appreciate how good he is,” Indy head coach John H. Lilly said. “Most people that’s been around Cyrus will tell you he’s a better athlete than Atticus. Atticus is just bigger and stronger. He can probably play tailback for us if we needed him to or quarterback. He’s probably got one of the best arms on the team. He’s just a tough matchup the way he’s built at 6-foot-2 and he’s also long and wirey.”
As the junior prepares to play his role in what the Indy faithful hope is a run to Wheeling, he’s harnessing his carefree demeanor. While expectations are high in his corner of Raleigh County he’s not thinking much about the pressure that comes with them. If anything he’s embracing it.
“No, I mean pressure just means you’re nervous,” Goodson said when asked if he felt nerves. “The only reason you’re nervous is because you don’t think you’re good enough for the spotlight. But this is what I wanted my whole life so I ain’t gonna shy away from it when it gets here, so I’m not nervous at all. I’m just going to play the game like I’ve always played it, so no nerves really.”
Email: tylerjackson@lootpress.com and follow on twitter @tjack94
