Laczkowski Caught Passes; Now Knocks Them Down

Position shift helps stabilize inexperienced Scots secondary

It’s probably fair for Highland Park receivers in practice to accuse cornerback Bryce Laczkowski of knowing their routes.

After all, last year, Laczkowski was running those same routes. In fact, he would have been the top returnee for the Scots in 2024 in every pass-catching category had HP’s defensive coaches not been so adamant about a position switch.

That experiment happened after last season — a byproduct of extra depth among the team’s upcoming receivers and a lack of depth in the defensive secondary. The coaching staff zeroed in on Laczkowski as their guy.

“I wasn’t sure at first,” said Laczkowski, who had 272 receiving yards and two touchdowns as a junior. “They thought I would be a better corner than a receiver.”

Laczkowski saw a few snaps on defense a year ago, but it represented a small sample size. So, he became a defender exclusively during spring practice, which for him was cut short due to commitments with the HP baseball team.

“He’s exceeded my expectations,” said HP head coach Randy Allen. “He’s very unselfish and was a team player all the way. We’re really happy with him at corner.”

It was a steep learning curve. He focused on memorizing signals, mastering coverages, and improving his tackling ability. Laczkowski credits teammates such as returning safeties Jackson McGinley and Brady Ray for helping him acclimate.

“It was challenging at first,” he said. “The secondary has such an important job. It was helpful knowing what the offense can do.”

The early returns have been positive. Laczkowski intercepted a pass near the goal line to stop a scoring chance during a win over Lovejoy on Sept. 6. It came on a stutter-and-go deep ball, similar to what he’s run so many times before.

“It’s an advantage in that you kind of recognize what they’re trying to do,” Allen said about moving from receiver to now guarding receivers. “You learn how to read his break.”

An HP secondary who faced questions about inexperience before the season has emerged as a strength. Besides the play of Laczkowski, fellow cornerback Angus Wall returned an interception for a touchdown in the season opener against Rockwall-Heath.

Along the way, Laczkowski has contested some epic 1-on-1 battles in practice with Benton Owens, the outside receiver who has taken his spot.

“We go all-out 100 percent,” Laczkowski said. “It’s a fun little rivalry we have.”