Time for Red Devils and Tigers fans to get real cozy this week
Hall and Princeton fans have grown real conditioned to each other so well over years. On Friday, they’re going to become much, much cozier.
When Hall fans come to Bryant Field Friday night ,they will find they will be moving across the field from the east bleachers to the west bleachers, where the visiting team has now been relocated.
The PHS student body and the “official” home bleachers have moved to the east sidelines opposite the traditional homefield side on the west sidelines.
However, not all of the home fans have made the move, some electing to remain in the same seats they have sat in for years. That has not caused any problems the first three home dates as neither Rockridge, Peoria Manual or Kewanee have brought a big crowd.
But when Hall makes the small trek cross country from Spring Valley, there’s going to be a meeting of some fans in the home blue and visiting reds right at the 50-yard line.
“That will seem strange after being on the other side and looking across the other way at the pressbox for so many years,” said Hall coach Gary Vicini, who has visited Bryant Field every other year since 1976.
Dave Moore, in his first year as head football coach and athletic director, said the move was predicated to allow the home team, including the cheerleaders, to have more room to operate on the sidelines.
The east sidelines at Bryant Field have the six-lane all-weather track between the team bench and bleachers. The traditional homeside of Bryant Field, the west sidelines, operates under tight quarters with the bleachers nearly on top of the team bench.
“It’s a lot better for our cheerleaders. We’ve got more room to do things,” he said. “If we had the same amount of room on either side, I’d do that.”
Moore does not anticipate any problems Friday with the two schools’ fan base sitting next to one another in the west bleachers. From his days at Bureau Valley, he said the Storm traveled to Morri-son, which has only one set of stands for both schools to share.
• Take us to your leader: Bureau Valley remains all alone atop the Big Rivers at 6-0. Mendota (Lincoln) and Sterling (Reagan), both with 5-1, 3-0 records, are in the driver’s seat in the NCIC divisions.
• Playoff picture: Bureau Valley is one of 61 undefeated teams, including one team at 5-0, in the state through six weeks of play. There are also 64 teams that have secured playoff berths with 5-1 records. A total of 256 teams will qualify for the playoffs in eight classes.
• Welcome back Wacas: Former Princeton coaches Charlie and Chris Waca returned to Bryant Field last week as members of the Kewanee staff. They were welcomed back with open arms by PHS players and students.
Fourteen members of the PHS squad left their Tiger football markers in the younger Waca’s front yard, in Princeton, on Thursday evening, and at least two PHS players wrote in his name on their pieces of black eye shadow tape on game night. The PHS student body pitched in for two chants of Mr. Waca during the game.
• The Power Is have it: One fan in the crowd who certainly liked seeing Princeton’s offense do so well in the second half last week was Kenny Bourquin. It was the same offense Bourquin ran for so many years at Manlius/Tampico, where he was assisted by Dave Moore, who later would marry Bourquin’s daughter, Judy.
“He had a little smile on his face because we ran the Power I at Manlius,” Moore said.
• Future quarterback: PHS’ Moore has his own little assistant on the Tiger sidelines this year, 8-year-old son, Payton. Yes, dad was a Walter Payton fan. Payton says he wants to be a quarterback like his brother, Garrett Barnas, the Tiger coach’s step-son.
• Quick kicks: Former Princeton coach Dave Smith is now 6-0 at Mt. Zion after the Braves routed Newton 35-21 in Apollo Conference play last week. His son, Jacob, a sophomore running back, had 74 yards rushing. ... L-P had Geneseo on the ropes Friday, leading 24-6 and threatening to break a 29-game losing streak dating back to 1919. The Maple Leafs rallied for a 32-24 with four TDs, two in 38 seconds. ... The Hall-PHS freshman game was moved from Monday to Tuesday and played in the rain. The Red Demons won 20-0. ... Bureau Valley’s freshman game at Marquette on Oct. 14 has been canceled.
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