Lake Station senior Oscar Alderson has maintained perspective.

Through two injury-marred seasons.

“I’ve been a little unlucky,” Alderson said.

And through the first five games of this season, even as the 5-foot-9, 195-pound running back/defensive end has rushed for a team-high 595 yards and a team-high nine touchdowns on 33 carries, has made three catches — all for TDs — for 74 yards, has returned a kickoff for a TD, and has made 18 tackles with six for loss and four sacks.

“I’m playing all right,” Alderson said. “Nothing too crazy.”

In the middle of what could be a history-making season, Alderson and the rest of the Eagles (4-1) are focused on winning games. After defeating Whiting 36-28 last week, they’ve matched their total victories from 2022, Glenn Gulley’s first season as coach, when they went 4-7.

Lake Station hasn’t reached five victories since going 5-5 in 1999 and hasn’t had a winning record since going 8-5 in 1998, the year of the program’s second sectional title.

“Every other game is definitely winnable,” Alderson said. “We just want to be the best team we can be and do something in the playoffs. Just win the next game, win conference, sectionals, and just keep going.”

Alderson has kept going despite injuries. He was hampered last season after suffering a sprained MCL in his left knee in the preseason scrimmage and missed the first four games. Even though he returned for Week 5, he wasn’t truly himself.

“I couldn’t really do anything,” Alderson said. “My knee was bad. When I came back, I didn’t feel the same. But I still played the season.”

Alderson’s sophomore season also was interrupted. He suffered a right shoulder injury during a practice leading up to the Eagles’ Week 5 game against Bowman. After sitting out that game, he returned for the game against Bishop Noll the following week. But he aggravated the shoulder injury during the next week’s practice, and a further examination revealed he had a torn labrum.

After sitting out the rest of the regular season, Alderson returned for Lake Station’s sectional game against Whiting. He had surgery days after the season ended, and he was out for seven months.

Alderson’s perseverance has paid off.

“He’s a great running back. … He’s definitely a dawg,” Lake Station senior quarterback/defensive back David Parker said.

Lake Station senior Oscar Alderson has rushed for team highs of 595 yards and nine touchdowns. (Michael Osipoff / Post-Tribune)

Alderson has also flourished on defense, having shifted to end from linebacker. He gained 20 pounds to help the transition.

“I’m pretty strong,” he said. “I put on some weight, but I’m still fast. I feel like I’m a D-end. I’ve been doing pretty good with the move.”

The Eagles have been moving the ball very effectively on the ground. Parker, who also has improved significantly as a passer, has rushed for 575 yards and seven TDs on 53 carries, and junior running back Kaden McNeil has added 436 yards and four TDs on 39 carries.

“Our whole backfield has been really good. … It’s kind of a three-headed dragon that’s hard to stop,” Gulley said.

The Eagles hope their winning ways don’t stop.

“We’re on a good path,” Gulley said. “We’re just game by game. But from the beginning, I told them the main thing is to get above .500 — it’s been 27 years here.

“At this point in time, there’s no reason we can’t go .500 or above. I try to explain to the kids, only you can beat you. I try to explain to the kids, we’re the only team in the Greater South Shore Conference that is junior- and senior-heavy. It’s the year for us to do it.”

Enthusiasm is high.

“It’s been the same team every year for the past two or three years,” Alderson said. “During the summer, a lot of people were showing up. That never really happened before. This summer was different.”

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/09/23/football-lake-station-oscar-alderson/