Support at all-time high for state-bound Patriots (03/22/06)

In a show of support and solidarity for the Jay County boys basketball team many local businesses are helping add red and blue to the gray March landscape and a few memories to the lives of Jay County residents.

“Of course, everyone wants red, white and blue,” laughed Jayne Ridenour, whose business, Jayne’s Candy Bouquets, sells gift arrangements with candy and balloons in a variety of themes.

She said that business has picked up in the last two weeks as parents and friends of Jay County athletes have been increasingly swept up in the team’s success. The Patriots will play for the Class 3A state championship against the 10th-ranked New Castle Trojans at Conseco Fieldhouse Saturday at 6 p.m.

In case you were wracking your brain trying to think of candy products with red, white and blue wrapping, there aren’t many, but Ridenour said she can decorate her bouquets with patriotic ribbons, balloons and cellophane.

She also has an arrangement with IBC Root Beer; the diet variety comes in a red, white and blue box.

Each order delivered to a Jay County athlete this week also comes complete with a complimentary “Good Luck” balloon, said Ridenour, and last week she sent a three-foot “#1” to coach Craig Teagle and the players.

“It’s the first time we’ve ever used that big balloon,” she said before pausing a moment and musing about what could be done to top it after this weekend’s game.

Chris Comer, manager of Kessler’s Sport Shop and mother of Jay County forward Corey Comer, who hit the game-winning shot in overtime to beat Plymouth for the semi-state championship at Lafayette Jefferson, already has a plan to out-do her efforts from last week.

Comer and her friend, Susan Moser, lugged two large trash bags of “terrible towels” to pass out at last Saturday’s game. The towels had been ordered and stamped within forty-eight hours.

“We have a plan for this weekend, too, but it’s a surprise,” said Comer.

Moser said that there will be 2,000 of their secret item in rotation this weekend.

“When I found out we were going to state, I looked at (Chris) and said ‘Oh, we gotta go bigger,” said Moser.

Moser is not an employee at Kessler’s, but has volunteered more than 25 hours of her time in the last week to help Chris and her husband, Kirk, with the influx of activity.

“I am a very spirited woman,” Moser said.

For those whom a “terrible towel” simply isn’t enough, Kessler’s is the keeper of all things red and blue, selling all manner of apparel, including the coveted official Jay County Patriots T-shirts designed by the high school athletic department.

“We sold out of just about everything and we keep restocking,” said Comer. Most of the items on display have been put out so hastily there hasn’t been time to price them.

One of the best sellers this week has been blue-and-white striped pants, grabbed up by high school students anxious to loudly display their spirit.

“I only have six pair left,” Comer said, pointing to a display rack and holding up a large empty box. “There were at least fifty in here.”

Display Craft’s Jim Jenney said he was glad he already had plenty of red, white and blue vinyl on hand, because he and his employees were printing up plenty of custom-made signs wishing the team well, including a 30-foot banner reading “Good Luck Patriots” in Dunkirk.

“It stretches across the whole street,” he said.

Jenney said he had no idea how many feet worth of banners he has printed in the last two weeks for the basketball team, but laughed and said simply, “a lot.”

Though Display Craft usually only does custom items, he had seventy-five lawn signs and T-shirts printed this week after getting several requests at the business expo and even more phone calls Monday.

“If we sell all those, I will just print more,” he said.

Falcon Mint is producing medallions and key chains to commemorate the team’s historic run.

John Goodrich, president and owner of the mint, said they decided to produce the brass-inked antique medallions when the Patriots went to the regional level two weeks ago at the suggestion of Rob Weaver, the radio voice of the Patriots.

“I wish I could take credit for the idea, but I can’t,” said Goodrich.

Nearly 300 of the medallions have sold — they cost $5 — and about 300 semi-state German silver medallions are in production this week and will be available for purchase today. About 200 keychains for each round have been made as well, totalling about 1,000 pounds of metal.

Goodrich said that whether or not the boys are victorious this weekend, a gold-plated, two-tone brass medallion will be made to honor the season. He said he expects to sell them for about $10.

“The funny thing is, we could probably sell them for double that, but that’s not the point,” he said. “It’s never been the point.”

The point is that the basketball team is experiencing unprecedented success and community members want to catch a little of the buzz.

Long after the candy is eaten, the banners weather-worn, the T-shirts faded and the medallions put away for safe-keeping, many said they hope the unity that roared in behind the team’s processional home from last Saturday’s game will settle in for good.

“It’s bringing the community together,” said Jenney, who was a member of the first graduating class at Jay County High School in 1976.

“Maybe this will close the gap between the east and west side of the community,” said Comer.

It’s a lot to ask of a few high school boys, but it has become clear the community is behind them 100 percent.

“An older lady came in to the store the other day and wanted to come behind the counter and give me a hug,” said Comer. “She said, ‘You give each one of those boys a hug for us. We have been waiting to do this our entire lives.’”[[In-content Ad]]