Norristown’s Desmond Gorski defies the odds with career day

WEST NORRITON >> Picture the fifth man in the rotation tossing a no-hitter or the fourth-liner notching a hat trick.

Or the guy who wasn’t even on the team when the season started putting up single-game school records in both passing yardage and touchdowns.

The latter happened this past Saturday afternoon when Desmond Gorski, the Norristown High back-up quarterback, achieved what are believed to be school records when he threw for 427 yards and seven touchdowns in the Eagles’ 49-45 loss to Council Rock South.

Gorski, who wasn’t even enrolled at Norristown High until this past summer, had served as the Eagles quarterback, off and on, for the past three seasons.

Having moved out of the school district due to what he termed, “family issues,” Gorski returned to Norristown this year, then proceeded to miss the first week of football camp because of a stay in the hospital.

Running behind starter Diavante Lloyd when the season began, Gorski was a forgotten guy.

In fact, when Lloyd went down with a knee injury in the season’s second game, he wasn’t even installed as the starter.

And as the season progressed his playing time and his numbers were far from attention-grabbing.

In fact, in the week prior to the CR South game, Gorski was pulled from the game as he and the entire Eagles offense turned in a sub-par performance in a disappointing loss to William Tennent.

There was no reason to believe Gorski was on the verge of greatness.

Not even Gorski had any inkling of what was to happen.

“I felt normal that morning,” he said of his mood before the CR South game. “When I had come back to school, I expected us to have a better season, and that wasn’t the case.”

As the CR South game got underway, the visitors did what they do best, overpowering the Eagles defense with a bruising running game.

Gorski’s early play was solid, but far from spectacular.

But at halftime, with Norristown trailing, Gorski’s mood had changed.

“I don’t know why, but at halftime I was real excited,” he said. “I felt something was going to happen.”

Something did.

Gorski threw a late touchdown pass in the third quarter — his third of the game — but the Eagles still trailed, 42-20, early in the fourth.

Then, the magic began.

Gorski and the Eagles began to come back, and the senior quarterback was a big reason.

He found Diavante Willis for the first of three scores, then found Derik Cross wide open behind the Hawks defense for another.

“When I came back to the sideline, one of my teammates said that was my fifth (touchdown pass),” Gorski said. “That was the only time I knew.

“Usually, we’re not a vertical passing team, so when we had to throw on every play I think that caught them off guard.”

Against all odds, the Eagles came all the way back. And when Gorski found Willis in the end zone with 50 seconds left, the Eagles led, 45-42, and the Eagles sideline turned into Times Square on New Year’s Eve.

But the excitement wasn’t to last.

CR South returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown, and won the game, 49-45.

Gorski had a day full of records, but no win to show for it.

He didn’t even know his passing yardage total until a friend texted him the totals after the game.

It was a day to remember for the quarterback, but not for the team.

“All we can do now is get back to work and move on to the next game,” Gorski said.

That game comes Saturday when Norristown hosts Truman in the Eagles Suburban One League Continental Conference finale.

Gorski said he’d love to play football in college, but has not heard much from collegiate programs.

But then, he has shown the knack for surprising people.