Eastern football recruit Erik Lora, a standout wide receiver from Miami, will arrive on campus this summer with a gold medal from the International Federation of American Football Junior World Championships.

Lora, along with 45 other college-bound players from across the nation, was invited to compete for Team USA in the inaugural junior world championships, a tournament featuring teams from eight nations made up of players aged 19 and younger.

Team USA won the tournament by defeating top-seeded Canada 41-3 in the gold medal game Sunday before a crowd of 15,475 at Fawcett Stadium in Canton, Ohio.

Lora caught a 34-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Bryce Petty, a Baylor recruit, with 46 seconds remaining in the third quarter, to extend Team USA’s lead to 31-3. He finished the day with four catches for 53 yards. He also returned six punts for 63 yards, including a 17-yard return.

After the conclusion of the gold medal game, the IFAF released its list of All-Tournament players. Lora was named to the All-Tournament defensive second team as a punt returner. Over the course of the tournament, Lora returned a total of 11 punts for 145 yards, an average of 13.2 yards per return.

Team USA opened up the tournament with a 78-0 blowout victory over France on June 27. Lora was second on the team in receiving, pulling in two catches for 32 yards.

In their second round game on July 1, Team USA earned a 55-0 victory over Mexico. Although Lora finished the game without a catch, he proved to be a spark on special teams. He returned five punts for 82 yards, including a 37-yard return midway through the second quarter.

Lora finished the tournament with a total of six catches for 75 yards, and one touchdown.

All games of the tournament were held at Fawcett Field at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. Teams from eight nations spanning four continents competed in the event, which was the first-ever international tournament for high-school aged players.

Canada, who offensively was the only team in the tournament to get the ball in the red zone against Team USA, was awarded the silver medal. Japan won the bronze with a 42-27 victory over Mexico on Saturday.

Lora is scheduled to make his debut with the Panthers this fall. The 5-foot-10, 166-pound receiver was recruited out of Columbus High School in Miami, where he helped his team to a 10-1 record last season.

During his senior year, he made 29 catches for 649 yards and seven touchdowns. He ranked second in Dade County in receiving yards, and was a first-team All-Dade County selection. Lora also served as a punt returner, gaining 160 yards off 11 returns in 2008.

Jeff Jurinek can be reached at 581-7943 or at densportsdesk@gmail.com.