Northside Remembers Life Of Senior Killed Days Before Graduation

SAMANTHA, AL — Northside High School football coach Chris Hilliker had tears pooling up in the corners of his eyes Monday as the longtime gridiron leader grieved the loss of a player, student, teammate and friend less than a week before graduation.

"I think it’s because we’re old," the coach pointed out. "We know what life is about and we know things that are in store down the road and just to have a life taken so soon, when he had his whole world ahead of him was very, very difficult."

Northside senior Josh Lucas, 18, was killed Sunday afternoon when the vehicle he was riding in overturned in Walker County near Townley. Fellow Northside senior Landon Davis was injured in the crash and airlifted to Tupelo, Mississippi for treatment, but has since been released, according to school officials.

The two seniors, along with one other friend, were returning from National Guard drills in Jasper, gearing up to receive their diplomas on Friday before beginning their military service.

Lucas was tight end and defensive end for Hilliker and the Northside Rams, playing on arguably the best team in school history during the 2020 campaign.

"[He was a] great teammate," he said. "It takes all kinds to make a team and he was one of those guys who came in, led the practice squad, did the grunt work and put in the hours and he will be dearly missed."

Senior lineman Joe Malone was the anchor of a talented Rams squad and described Lucas as one of the hardest working people on the team, with a heart for football and a desire to win.

"He always had a drive to want to get better and never lacked in his mentality," he told Patch on Monday. "He never gave up and never wanted to and that’s how I wish the football team and everybody would remember him. He has inspired me to never give up when it’s not going your way."

Malone then said with graduation approaching on Friday, the ceremony, which already comes following the unprecedented effects of the coronavirus pandemic, will no doubt be an even more heartbreaking one for the senior class.

"It's suppose to be the day where we get see everyone walk across the field one last time," he said. "And to not have him there is going to be horrific. I give his family all my prayers and the Northside community is always here for them."

Hilliker said he had unfortunately dealt with similar situations three times before Sunday, but never this close to graduation for a senior. For Lucas, Hilliker explained that lessons learned on the football field, such as discipline and work ethic, translated well into the young man's goal of enlisting in the military.

"Yesterday, his step dad Eric, he thanked us for our role in Josh’s life and just wanted to tell me that because Josh played football here and went through that regimen and did those things ... that was kind of what he wanted to do with his life."

Northside Principal Tony Dunn agreed and said he had numerous conversations with Lucas and Davis both as they reached their goals and prepared to leave behind school days in Samantha to serve their country.

"He was a great addition to our study body," Dunn said. "He was a very friendly young man, a very personable young man and just well liked across the board by students and faculty."

Despite the heavy shroud of grief hanging over Samantha, Dunn and Hilliker both agreed that the community is always quick to lift up the school during the good times and bad.

"One of the things about Northside is Northside likes to think of themselves as family and as tragic as this is for the community, the community has rallied around each other," Dunn said. "There’s no way you can describe what’s happened in this, but to know we have support from the community, from our central office, it is such a blessing."

Memorial services for Lucas have not yet been announced, but Dunn said the school was already working on plans to honor his memory and family during Friday's graduation.

Hilliker also said he met with his team Monday to offer support as the entire student body deals with the tragic loss.

"I told them we just have to love on the family," he said. "It’s just a tremendous loss for them of course and also for us as a football family and told them we’re here for them if we can help in any way and we just need to show love and appreciation for the time he was with us."

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