Bird takes flight: Mustangs junior making his share of big plays

Making a big play in a big postseason game is nothing new for Will Bird.

The Morrison junior started performing under pressure during the Mustangs’ run last spring to a third place finish in Class 2A baseball.

Bird broke up a scoreless tie with an RBI single in the sixth inning of the regional championship. He also took the ball on the mound when called upon by coach Scott Vance.

The baseball experience has helped Bird and several of the Morrison players in their football run, which has reached the Class 2A semifinals.

Morrison plays Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley at 2 p.m. Saturday at Bud Cole Field.

“I think that experience has helped us out,” Bird said. “Just having been in that tournament and in those pressure situations has made us more used to it.”

Getting a shot on the football field this fall took Bird a little longer.

“I didn’t get to start till Week 5 against Riverdale,” Bird said. “It just took me a little while to get used to the game up here on varsity. I am just not that big of a guy.”

Listed generously at 5-foot-10 and 150 pounds, Bird is as small as it gets on the Morrison roster.

That physical limitation kept him off the field early this season.

“We knew that athletically he was good enough to play up here,” Morrison coach Cory Bielema said. “We didn’t know if he’d be able to use those other skills enough to make up for it. It takes a special athlete to do that.”

Bird won that spot as starting cornerback and he’s relied on his smarts and speed to keep that spot.

“I just have to have good technique and play off the taller guys a little bit,” Bird said. “I have to time my hits and play smart.”

That’s what he did last Saturday as the Mustangs were engaged in a battle with Orion in the Class 2A quarterfinals.

Morrison had just taken a lead on a 43-yard run by Josh Vos with just under 5 minutes left. Orion answered with a 43-yard pass to the Morrison 24 on fourth-and-2. It was Bird’s man that got open.