IT'S BALL IN THE FAMILY: Gort brothers stand out as receivers at HHCA

Standing in the breezeway between the school and the gymnasium at Hilton Head Christian Academy, Jonathan Gort pulls on his old No. 45 jersey and comments that it fits a bit more snugly than it did four years ago, when he finished his career as the Eagles' leading receiver in every statistical category.

He takes a moment to reminisce with Eagles coach Tommy Lewis, then turns his attention to the reason for his return to campus.

"So he's about to break my old records, huh?," Jonathan says, nodding toward his younger brother Ethan, a senior receiver.

Well, not all of them, but as the Eagles embark on their third trip to the SCISAA Class 2-A title game in four years, it appears the receiving section of the school's record book will contain two Gorts. Ethan already has tied Jonathan's single-season mark for receiving touchdowns -- his two scores in last week's 35-20 win against Colleton Prep give him 15 touchdown catches this season -- and he needs only two catches to match Jonathan's record of 50 receptions in a season and two more touchdown receptions to tie Jonathan's career record of 23.

"I think it's great," Jonathan says. "To have anybody challenge my records, who better than my younger brother? ... He's a great talent. He's got a lot more height than I did, which I wish I would've had when I was his age."

It's true Ethan has about three inches on his older brother, and at 6-foot-7, that makes him an easy target in the end zone and an impossible matchup for most opponents. Jonathan is also quick to point out that Ethan has had more games to rack up his totals, a smile spreading across his face as he does so. It's also true that Jonathan's quarterbacks -- Jonathan Cook and Gabe Gilmour -- were more prone to tuck the ball and scramble than current Eagles quarterback Luke Sirgo. But whereas the No. 2 receiver behind Jonathan was running back Daniel Evangelista, Ethan has had to share the targets with a bevy of talented receivers, including fellow senior Zac Lenns, who last week matched Jonathan's career mark of 91 receptions.

But that's splitting hairs. The fact is Ethan picked up where his older brother left off, giving the Eagles' quarterbacks a big target who can catch the ball and make good things happen when he does.

"They're both just so athletic," Lewis says. "To have that kind of size, good speed, and to have the athleticism of basketball players -- to be able to get that out on the field and put them in space, it's a very nice option to have."

And it's an option the Eagles have taken full advantage of over the years.

Jonathan was part of the foundation for what has developed into a prolific pass-happy offense. He caught 41 passes for 719 yards and eight touchdowns as a junior in 2004, helping the Eagles to an undefeated regular season, and he improved upon all of those numbers as a senior, catching 50 passes for 1,117 yards and 15 touchdowns as Hilton Head Christian reached the state semifinals.

Ethan joined the varsity squad a year later as a freshman, and by his junior year was following in his brother's footsteps. After catching only one pass as a sophomore, he hauled in 31 passes for 549 yards and six touchdowns a year ago and has become the team's No. 1 receiving option as a senior, catching 48 passes for 826 yards and 15 touchdowns.

But as he threatens some of Jonathan's records, he gives his older brother some of the credit for helping him do so.

"Playing backyard football on the golf course, watching him play, watching what he did, just having that role model to look up to and emulate, it's just been real fun," Ethan says. "To come up on some of his records, it gives me a good feeling to know I'm doing what my big brother did."

The brothers never got the chance to play on the same team -- aside from those backyard games when they teamed up against their father and their oldest brother, Nathan -- but they still developed a close bond, and of course shared some moments of sibling rivalry.

"I mean, there were a couple scrapes here or there," Jonathan says. "You've got to do it, though. You've got to toughen them up. As an older brother, that's something you've just got to do. You can't pass up that opportunity.

"I always knew he was going to be really good at pretty much anything he did."

With a few more catches Friday, and maybe a couple of touchdowns, he could supplant his brother as the best receiver in Hilton Head Christian's history, at least in some categories.

"I say more power to him," Jonathan says. "I'd love to see it happen. Keeping it in the family is a cool thing. And it's really cool that it's coming down to the last game. I hope he does it. That would be an awesome achievement."

By the numbers

A look at the career and

season marks at Hilton Head Christian Academy for brothers Ethan and Jon Gort, with school rankings

in parentheses:

Career receptions

Ethan: 80 (3rd)

Jon: 91 (T-1st)

Career Receiving Yds

Ethan: 1,391 (2nd)

Jon: 1,836 (1st)

Career Receiving TDs

Ethan: 21 (2nd)

Jon: 23 (1st)

Season Receptions

Ethan: 48 (T-2nd)

Jon: 50 (1st)

Season Receiving Yds

Ethan: 826 (3rd)

Jon: 1,117 (1st)

Season Receiving TDs

Ethan: 15 (T-1st)

Jon: 15 (T-1st)