Steelers-Lions
rivalry brings out the
best in junior gridiron heroes
BY ED WRIGHT
Oct. 23, 2009, 2:30
p.m.
The intensity level in the homes of hundreds of local elementary and
middle
school students is so thick this week you could probably cut it with a
butter knife.
And, no, the heightened intensity is not the result of MEAP
testing.
This is "Black & Blue" week for the local communities' two
junior
football league franchises -- the Plymouth-Canton Steelers and the
Canton Lions.
The Army-Navy, Michigan-Ohio State, Detroit Lions-...um, well,
(we'll skip that one) and Alabama-Auburn rivalries have nothing on the
tradition the Steelers and Lions have built over the past 30 years.
As the parent of a former Lion and a current Steeler, I can
assure you this week just isn't the same as the other 51 on the
calendar.
The boys seem to chew their Crunchberries a little harder for
breakfast during "Black & Blue" week, they tie their
shoes
a littler tighter and when practice commences at 5:30 each night, let's
just say the pads crack a little louder.
Lord help me this week if my 8-year-old son isn't in the car and
headed toward practice at least 20 minutes before we should actually
leave for practice.
Trust me, there's nothing worse than getting on the wrong side
of a 4-foot-2, 68-pound left guard who thinks he may be only 10 minutes
early instead of 15.
(If he would only carry over
that "No quit!" attitude from wide-base blocking and form tackling on
the gridiron to cleaning his room...)
JUNIOR FOOTBALL SMORGASBORD
The Steelers and Lions will square off in four games on Saturday
at Central Middle School. The opening game, which kicks off at 2 p.m.,
will pit the two programs' junior freshmen teams, which are made up of
7- and 8-year-olds.
The junior freshmen program was started three years ago with the
sole intention of helping the youngsters learn football basics and the
rules, so no score is kept.
(And if you think that none
of us parents know how many touchdowns both teams have scored, well, I
have a couple Detroit Shock season tickets I'd like to sell you.)
Saturday's final three games -- the freshman contest starts at 4
p.m., the junior varsity game at 6 p.m. and the varsity showdown at 8
p.m. -- will determine who gets to take home the coveted "Black &
Blue" trophy, an attractive piece of hardware that is the equivalent of
the Vince Lombardi Super Bowl trophy for the young gridders.
"This is the biggest game of the year," emphasized Andrew Hunt,
who has played guard, quarterback and running back for the Lions'
varsity team this fall. "It's so important because we'll be playing
against a lot of our friends who we go to school with. If you beat them
and hit them hard, then you get bragging rights all year."
SERIOUS BUSINESS
Steelers junior-varsity standout Nick Lanava said practice
during Lions week is unlike the previous 10 weeks.
"It's more intense," said Lanava. "When we're practicing
defense, the offense wears blue pennies. This is the only week all year
they do that. The coaches are always reminding us how important this
game is."
"We always take practice serious," said Greg "Gooch" Williams,
the Steelers' junior-varsity starting quarterback, "but this week seems
to be more serious than ever."
"Playing for the 'Black & Blue' trophy is huge for the
boys," said Angelo Lanava, the Steelers freshmen coach and the father
of two current Steelers and one former black-and-gold warrior. "They
talk about it every day at school. It's a great tradition."
Saturday's games will draw the largest crowds the teams will
play before all season, said Canton Lions Unit Director Willis Chapman.
"It's a community event," said Chapman, whose son, Zeke, played
for the Lions before moving on to Plymouth High School and currently
Ferris State. "A lot of high school players come back to watch the game
and we'll recognize them at halftime.
"This will be one of the few games during the season when fans
will stay and watch all four games."
If your schedule is open Saturday afternoon, I'd highly advise
you to head over to Central and check out at least one of the
Steelers-Lions games.
Free entertainment like this is hard to come by these days.
What's my prediction for Saturday? I'll say one team wins two
games and the other wins one.
As far as the junior freshman game goes, I'm following the rules
and not keeping score. (wink, wink)
ARCHIVES
On crazy finishes, sharp cornerbacks
and unheralded mid-fielders
Let's hear it
for the band, high school volleyball and 88-cent Corn Flakes
This
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character(s)
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