November 11, 2014 at 5:15 p.m.
Share in the joy with the athletes
Rays of Insight
The reactions said it all.
Starfires huddled around the sectional trophy, seniors grasping its corners.
Indians gathered on the sideline, holding their helmets aloft.
Patriots responded first with mouths agape and then with leaps and screams of excitement.
Those are the times we live for, as athletes, coaches and fans, when the weeks, months, years of hard work culminate in that one great moment of success. Or, as was the case this weekend, three great moments of success.
The teams in competition for Jay County, Fort Recovery and South Adams high schools had a great weekend.
The Starfire football team kicked off the celebrations after its convincing victory Friday night in the sectional championship game in Poneto. It avenged a regular-season loss, dismantling the Southern Wells Raiders for its second straight sectional title.
On Saturday evening, the JCHS cheerleaders continued the success with their performance at the Indiana Cheer Championships at Southport. In their first foray into the event in a decade, they finished in the runner-up slot behind three-time champion Pendleton Heights.
Hours later, the Fort Recovery football team continued its dream season. Playing in week 11 for the first time in its history, the Tribe erased an early 7-0 deficit en route to a 28-7 victory over the host Fort Loramie Redskins.
Each triumph held its own significance.
For South Adams, the overriding theme this season has been perseverance.
After winning the 2013 sectional title and with a strong group of seniors returning, the Starfires seemed primed for a big year. But they struggled in close games, losing 22-19 to Heritage, 21-14 to Adams Central in overtime and 21-14 to Southern Wells in the regular-season finale.
A 3-6 regular-season was not what they had hoped for.
But as has been the case for the last five years, South Adams was ready for the playoffs. It turned the tables on Adams Central and Southern Wells with a blowout of Northfield in between to earn its sectional repeat.
While SAHS persevered through a tough regular season, the Indians have dealt with more than two decades that have been littered with difficulty. They key for them this year was believing, despite all the historic evidence, that playing in week 11 was possible.
Fort Recovery made that dream a reality thanks in part to a three-game Midwest Athletic Conference winning streak and just its second win over St. Henry. Making the playoffs was a major step for the program, but the Indians weren’t just happy to be there. They made the most of their opportunity, earning a rematch against the three-time defending champion, top-ranked and top-seeded Marion Local Flyers.
Win or lose Saturday, the 2014 Tribe has set the standard for all future FRHS squads.
The last two weeks of competition for the Jay County cheerleaders has been about proving themselves.
The Patriots have had decades of success at the Indiana State Fair competitions, but the Indiana Cheer Championships are different. The level of competition is higher. The judges are more exacting.
So JCHS wasn’t sure what to expect when it decided to take part in ICC for the first time since 2004. But the girls were dedicated to the cause, with 15 of the 24 who competed at the state fair volunteering to continue through several more months of practice.
Their goal was simply to make the state finals. But they did so much more, fighting off ICC regulars Cathedral and Bishop Dwenger for the runner-up finish.
It’s those moments, and the moments like them achieved by the JCHS tennis and soccer teams this fall, that make sports so special.
And what always stands out to me, is that level of interest in a particular activity really doesn’t matter.
Soccer has never been my favorite sport. I’m just a casual tennis fan. And, when I set out to be a sports writer, I never expected to be covering cheerleading competitions.
Knowing the rules or being a fan just doesn’t matter.
It’s not about that. It’s about the kids.
And there’s nothing quite like sharing in those moments of joy.
Seeing the girls react after being announced as the second-place squad was priceless. I’m sure CR sports editor Chris Schanz felt the same when he got to see the reactions of the Starfires and Indians on back-to-back nights.
So take an interest.
Attend an event.
In a word, care.
Starfires huddled around the sectional trophy, seniors grasping its corners.
Indians gathered on the sideline, holding their helmets aloft.
Patriots responded first with mouths agape and then with leaps and screams of excitement.
Those are the times we live for, as athletes, coaches and fans, when the weeks, months, years of hard work culminate in that one great moment of success. Or, as was the case this weekend, three great moments of success.
The teams in competition for Jay County, Fort Recovery and South Adams high schools had a great weekend.
The Starfire football team kicked off the celebrations after its convincing victory Friday night in the sectional championship game in Poneto. It avenged a regular-season loss, dismantling the Southern Wells Raiders for its second straight sectional title.
On Saturday evening, the JCHS cheerleaders continued the success with their performance at the Indiana Cheer Championships at Southport. In their first foray into the event in a decade, they finished in the runner-up slot behind three-time champion Pendleton Heights.
Hours later, the Fort Recovery football team continued its dream season. Playing in week 11 for the first time in its history, the Tribe erased an early 7-0 deficit en route to a 28-7 victory over the host Fort Loramie Redskins.
Each triumph held its own significance.
For South Adams, the overriding theme this season has been perseverance.
After winning the 2013 sectional title and with a strong group of seniors returning, the Starfires seemed primed for a big year. But they struggled in close games, losing 22-19 to Heritage, 21-14 to Adams Central in overtime and 21-14 to Southern Wells in the regular-season finale.
A 3-6 regular-season was not what they had hoped for.
But as has been the case for the last five years, South Adams was ready for the playoffs. It turned the tables on Adams Central and Southern Wells with a blowout of Northfield in between to earn its sectional repeat.
While SAHS persevered through a tough regular season, the Indians have dealt with more than two decades that have been littered with difficulty. They key for them this year was believing, despite all the historic evidence, that playing in week 11 was possible.
Fort Recovery made that dream a reality thanks in part to a three-game Midwest Athletic Conference winning streak and just its second win over St. Henry. Making the playoffs was a major step for the program, but the Indians weren’t just happy to be there. They made the most of their opportunity, earning a rematch against the three-time defending champion, top-ranked and top-seeded Marion Local Flyers.
Win or lose Saturday, the 2014 Tribe has set the standard for all future FRHS squads.
The last two weeks of competition for the Jay County cheerleaders has been about proving themselves.
The Patriots have had decades of success at the Indiana State Fair competitions, but the Indiana Cheer Championships are different. The level of competition is higher. The judges are more exacting.
So JCHS wasn’t sure what to expect when it decided to take part in ICC for the first time since 2004. But the girls were dedicated to the cause, with 15 of the 24 who competed at the state fair volunteering to continue through several more months of practice.
Their goal was simply to make the state finals. But they did so much more, fighting off ICC regulars Cathedral and Bishop Dwenger for the runner-up finish.
It’s those moments, and the moments like them achieved by the JCHS tennis and soccer teams this fall, that make sports so special.
And what always stands out to me, is that level of interest in a particular activity really doesn’t matter.
Soccer has never been my favorite sport. I’m just a casual tennis fan. And, when I set out to be a sports writer, I never expected to be covering cheerleading competitions.
Knowing the rules or being a fan just doesn’t matter.
It’s not about that. It’s about the kids.
And there’s nothing quite like sharing in those moments of joy.
Seeing the girls react after being announced as the second-place squad was priceless. I’m sure CR sports editor Chris Schanz felt the same when he got to see the reactions of the Starfires and Indians on back-to-back nights.
So take an interest.
Attend an event.
In a word, care.
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