twonabomber
12-03-2004, 07:05 PM
going for second straight title tonight.
Shoremen not short on team spirit
Avon Lake High and fans enjoying 2nd state title bid
Friday, December 03, 2004
Catherine Gabe
Plain Dealer Reporter
Avon Lake- The inflatable Grinch outside Debbie Dyer's home waves in the breeze, decked in a Shoremen championship jersey.
Dyer has lived in Avon Lake only four years, but she already has the spirit of a town whose public school football team has won 29 consecutive games and goes for its second straight state title tonight.
But just around the corner at the high school, the mood is tempered, a little ho-hum even. Caution and even superstition appear to rule. Best not to upset a winning formula. Football is serious business in this town of 18,145.
Aside from Lake Erie, nothing is bigger in Avon Lake than a football machine that has pumped out skilled and serious athletes for years. The program starts early with youth football mini-camps and continues through graduation, guaranteeing college scholarships for many players.
For weeks, the town has draped maroon and gold signs in grocery store windows and on yards.
The signs warn, "You've just entered Shoremen country." But at the high school Wednesday, students huddled quietly around lunch room tables in the commons area. The slogans chalked on windows - "Go Shoremen! Victory is Upon Us!" - were the only sign of rowdiness.
"There's excitement, but it's a not a clamor in the halls," Athletic Director Tom Barone said. "It's a low rumble that will blow all game long and after, when we celebrate."
Senior Mike Judge, nominated by the players as the school's Superfan, has been so anxious this week he has had a hard time eating.
"This has been a stressful week for me," Judge said. But today, Judge, the ball boy for playoff games, will be in his game day routine: He will wear the same jeans he always does, along with Adidas track shoes, a Shoremen playoff jersey and an Adidas wrist band, always on his left wrist. He will gobble down a Burger King Whopper Special - with cheese - and drive quietly to the game with the parents of player No. 54, Jack Rufus.
"We approach this like every other game," said Rufus, who plays offensive and defensive tackle. "It's nothing to get too excited about. It's the same field of 100 yards. No matter who we're playing, we have to be focused."
Maybe that explains why there's no pep rally before the team's departure. "We're not really a pep rally school," cheerleader Sadi Fox said, shrugging. School does end early today, however, so fans can convoy to the game.
"Our kids and players approach the game in a very businesslike manner," agreed Principal Timothy Freeman.
Last year, as a new principal, Freeman got his first sample of Shoremen pride just hours before the first home football game. He gazed into the late August sunshine as campers, trailers, lawn chairs and grills filled the parking lot. "My God, someone scheduled a swap meet on the same day," Freeman recalled thinking. "It looked like the outside at a Browns game, except without the beer and rowdiness."
Plenty of longtime residents still live in the growing town and happily share their high school glory days. Even Mayor Rob Berner, class of '82, sang the fight song. "I can't believe I'm doing this," said Berner who will head to the championship game.
Berner's political nemesis, Keith Davey, a civic activist who lost to Berner in the 2003 election, will be at the game, too. Davey and Berner have tussled over cell towers, taxes, a proposed rec center, and, lately, a residential tax abatement.
"When it comes to political issues, that is all put aside on Friday nights," said Davey, whose son, Scott, plays junior varsity. "That is Shoremen night for one night a week, where you forget other stuff."
Shoremen not short on team spirit
Avon Lake High and fans enjoying 2nd state title bid
Friday, December 03, 2004
Catherine Gabe
Plain Dealer Reporter
Avon Lake- The inflatable Grinch outside Debbie Dyer's home waves in the breeze, decked in a Shoremen championship jersey.
Dyer has lived in Avon Lake only four years, but she already has the spirit of a town whose public school football team has won 29 consecutive games and goes for its second straight state title tonight.
But just around the corner at the high school, the mood is tempered, a little ho-hum even. Caution and even superstition appear to rule. Best not to upset a winning formula. Football is serious business in this town of 18,145.
Aside from Lake Erie, nothing is bigger in Avon Lake than a football machine that has pumped out skilled and serious athletes for years. The program starts early with youth football mini-camps and continues through graduation, guaranteeing college scholarships for many players.
For weeks, the town has draped maroon and gold signs in grocery store windows and on yards.
The signs warn, "You've just entered Shoremen country." But at the high school Wednesday, students huddled quietly around lunch room tables in the commons area. The slogans chalked on windows - "Go Shoremen! Victory is Upon Us!" - were the only sign of rowdiness.
"There's excitement, but it's a not a clamor in the halls," Athletic Director Tom Barone said. "It's a low rumble that will blow all game long and after, when we celebrate."
Senior Mike Judge, nominated by the players as the school's Superfan, has been so anxious this week he has had a hard time eating.
"This has been a stressful week for me," Judge said. But today, Judge, the ball boy for playoff games, will be in his game day routine: He will wear the same jeans he always does, along with Adidas track shoes, a Shoremen playoff jersey and an Adidas wrist band, always on his left wrist. He will gobble down a Burger King Whopper Special - with cheese - and drive quietly to the game with the parents of player No. 54, Jack Rufus.
"We approach this like every other game," said Rufus, who plays offensive and defensive tackle. "It's nothing to get too excited about. It's the same field of 100 yards. No matter who we're playing, we have to be focused."
Maybe that explains why there's no pep rally before the team's departure. "We're not really a pep rally school," cheerleader Sadi Fox said, shrugging. School does end early today, however, so fans can convoy to the game.
"Our kids and players approach the game in a very businesslike manner," agreed Principal Timothy Freeman.
Last year, as a new principal, Freeman got his first sample of Shoremen pride just hours before the first home football game. He gazed into the late August sunshine as campers, trailers, lawn chairs and grills filled the parking lot. "My God, someone scheduled a swap meet on the same day," Freeman recalled thinking. "It looked like the outside at a Browns game, except without the beer and rowdiness."
Plenty of longtime residents still live in the growing town and happily share their high school glory days. Even Mayor Rob Berner, class of '82, sang the fight song. "I can't believe I'm doing this," said Berner who will head to the championship game.
Berner's political nemesis, Keith Davey, a civic activist who lost to Berner in the 2003 election, will be at the game, too. Davey and Berner have tussled over cell towers, taxes, a proposed rec center, and, lately, a residential tax abatement.
"When it comes to political issues, that is all put aside on Friday nights," said Davey, whose son, Scott, plays junior varsity. "That is Shoremen night for one night a week, where you forget other stuff."