By BOB ETTINGER

sports@vindy.com

HUBBARD

Lukas Mosora was taught lessons in resiliency in the way only a younger brother can be. The Hubbard senior studied at the hands of an older brother who, as older brothers tend to be, was relentless in competition.

Mosora, who’s listed at 5-foot-9, 190 pounds, plays running back, tight end and linebacker as if he’s much bigger than his actual size, which is not quite as big as the roster would make you believe. The son of Diann Wess and Jon Mosora, does that in positions where he’s expected to get the better of young men much bigger and, most of the time, much stronger than he is and somehow finds a way to win those one-on-one battles.

“I can tell you, that comes from my older brother [Alex].” Mosora said. “He beat the crap out of me when I was little. His friends would come over and he’d say it was me versus them. In basketball, we’d play 21 and he’d give me 20 points and see if I could beat him. He beat me every time. That’s how I developed toughness and why I can’t give up.”

Those games taught Mosora he’d have to think outside the box if he wanted to find success.

“The thing I definitely learned from him, him being so much bigger than I am, was that he would always be able to overpower me,” Mosora said. “I had to find ways to beat him that didn’t include trying to overpower him. I have to put that to use in football. There are much bigger, stronger kids I have to get around. I’m able to do that because it’s the same thing I was taught how to do growing up.”

Alex Mosora won’t get to see Lukas his Hubbard teammates battle Girard in the Division IV, Region 13 final at Bo Rein Stadium in Niles on Saturday night. Alex, who was serving in the Navy, died on Sept. 21 in Florida at the age of 22.

But Lukas plans to apply the lessions he learned from his older brother.

“Obviously, the thing that hurts a lot is he won’t be here to see it,” Mosora said. “He’d be so proud. He’s the one who helped me with recruiting. It’s heartbreaking that he was such a big part of getting where I wanted to be and he’s not able to see me get it. I know he’s watching. I know he’s proud and that’s what’s kept me going.”

The lesson in resiliency came in handy for Mosora and the Eagles after they won their first nine games before falling 26-21 in the final seconds of a Week 10 contest with East. Hubbard, which is seeded third in the region, rebounded to defeat sixth-seeded Wintersville Indian Creek and second-seeded Steubenville, the reigning Division IV state champion.

“Every time we played the game [21], it was a new chance [to beat Alex],” Mosora said. “I was a week older. I was stronger. I was better. That taught me the resilience I’ve needed. I’ve been through good seasons at Hubbard and seasons that weren’t so good. [Alex] taught me resilience and that taught me how to get it done. The East loss was a hard pill to swallow. The way we rebounded is all a credit to how I was raised and the attitudes of our players.”

That rebound by Mosora and his teammates speaks to an ability to not get onto the emotional roller coaster that is winning and losing under those Friday night lights.

“If that’s the perception of the vibe of the team, it goes directly to [Mosora],” Hoffman said. “He’s been a solid player for us for four years. He’s a solid leader. He’s one of those guys whose actions speak louder than words. He lets his performance on the field speak for him.”

Mosora is in a natural position to lead from spot as a linebacker on the defense. However, on the offensive side of the ball, his position is much more difficult pin down as he could line up as a running back, a tight end, a slot receiver or a receiver on the outside. He does so without so much as a word.

“I guess the best way to put it is he just does it,” Hoffman said. “It’s one of those deals where he just asks where we want him to go and he gives everything he has. He goes out and does it every Friday night. He’s a selfless, but he’s a heck of a football.”

Hoffman believes it’s selfless, but to Mosora, it’s anything but.

“The part I really like about it is I can be on the field at all times,” Mosora said. “I never have to come off the field. It’s tiring, but it’s the game I love and I never want to come off the field.”