Gordon is Coast Radio's Athlete of the Week

Scott Gordon was named Coast Radio's Athlete of the Week on Tuesday, his 18th birthday. Stan Pusieski/EWS

Siuslaw Vikings wide receiver Scott Gordon was on the receiving end of a nice gift Tuesday, Sept. 8, his 18th birthday.

The 5-foot-10, 165-pound receiver was named Coast Radio's first Athlete of the Week for the 2015-16 school year.

Gordon caught eight passes, including one for a touchdown, last Friday as the Vikings opened their season with a 29-6 victory at Newport.

"He's a pretty dynamic player and he needs to have that many touches in a game," head coach Tim Dodson said. "He also had a run. If we can get the ball in his hands nine times in a game, that's awesome."

Gordon heard about the honor at practice Tuesday as the Vikings began preparing for Friday's home opener against the Pleasant Hill Billies.

Kickoff is 7 p.m. at Hans Petersen Field.

"I was a little surprised (at winning the award)," Gordon said. "I would like to have gotten more yards, but I caught pretty much every pass thrown at me.

"But eight catches, I'm definitely happy with that."

One of those catches was the only touchdown of the second half, a 10-yard strike from quarterback Preston Mitchell in the fourth quarter.

Gordon is one of 11 seniors on the 22-man roster, many who have been playing together since fifth-grade tackle football.

"Kenneth Thrall and me and Preston and Caleb (Paredes), Ryan (Denning) and Carrson (Davidson), a ton of us have been playing together for years," he said.

Gordon established himself as a go-to receiver in 2014, when he caught 44 passes for five touchdowns and 579 yards, the 10th-best single-season total in school history, according to statistics compiled by record keepers Jo De and Bob Hylton.

Those numbers earned him all-Far West League second team honors.

"I like to look up to (New England Patriots wide receiver) Julian Edelman," Gordon said. "He's not the fastest, not the biggest, but he makes the plays."

That's what the Vikings want from him.

"He's very consistent," Dodson said of Gordon, "and we need to have him do that every game."

The Athlete of the Week is presented each week during the school year by Coast Radio, the Siuslaw News and the Sports Club.

Volleyball player Elyssa Rose, a junior at Siuslaw, was named honorable mention. She had 15 kills and two stuff blocks against Elmira last week as the Vikings swept Philomath and Elmira to open the season.