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Tri-Village
junior Charlie Bailey (60) made school history Saturday as
he was the first ever player to hit the
football field as a padded
player at the local high school. CNO Photos by George Starks
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Patriots look
good in inaugural football game
History made in Patriot Nation
By George Starks
NEW MADISON- It was not unusual to see junior Charlie Bailey riding his
bicycle from Wilt Road to Tri-Village High School in the early morning
hours.
The reason… he was going to football practice.
Dedicated to playing the game, Bailey wanted nothing more than to be a
part of something that took 43 years to materialize.
Saturday night, the big number 60 sprinted onto the field at
Tri-Village and became the first ever player in pads to lead the
football team into battle.
History had been made.
The initial game was against Cross County Conference rival, Bethel.
The Bees, had a bit of an advantage in the first half, playing a couple
of varsity players and running the score up to an overwhelming, 46-0
lead at the break.
In the second half, when the playing field had been evened, the
Patriots looked like a football team should look, holding the Bees
scoreless while putting up 21 unanswered points with a continuous
running clock working against them.
“In the first half, I don’t know if it was the lights or the first game
jitters and we went against some varsity kids,” said head coach Jason
Schondelmyer. “Still, we done that against Preble Shawnee earlier in
the year in a scrimmage. I just feel that in the first half, we didn’t
play as well as we needed to and we talked about that at half-time.”
Whatever the coach said at the break must have sunk in.
Missing several loose balls on the ground in the first 24 minutes, the
Bees were still accident prone in the second half but this time the
story was different.
With the ball on the ground, Tri-Village flew to the ball and made the
Bees pay for their mistakes.
“We did exactly what we needed to do,” said Schondelmyer. “We recovered
the ball several times and we scored three touchdowns. I saw more
effort and more blocking to the whistle. I just saw more guys laying it
on the line in the second half. That was kind of our theme at
half-time. No matter what happens out there, you still give it
everything you’ve got until the whistle blows. In the second half, I
felt like the kids did that. We were flying to the ball and playing
from whistle to whistle and when you do that, you’re going to get those
loose balls. We were waiting on someone else to make a play in the
first half maybe. In the second half, there was more of a sense of
urgency. We ended on a good note. It could’ve been an ugly second half
but it wasn’t. I’m proud of the way the guys rebounded in the second
half.”
In the opening game in school history, at the junior varsity level,
it’s not about wins and losses but more of a learning experience.
“When we break down the film, the kids will realize this isn’t what
they see on television,” Schondelmyer stated. “The will see the speed
of the game and the constant of 60 some plays being run means. It’s
about defense and the hitting and the mental toughness you have to
have. As a player to play in this conference, you have to be ready all
the time. We’re learning and I’m pleased with the second half. There
was more passion from these kids. We have to work on the mistakes we
made and learn to play with high energy for 48 minutes. Nothing less
will do.”
The Patriots will play at Mississinawa Valley this Saturday starting at
10 am.
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Patriots sophomore, Jared Buckley, carries the ball around left end
against Bethel Saturday.
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Freshman receiver Austin Bruner, takes he ball up field in the third
quarter.
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Sophomore Dagen White (54) misses the tackle but sophomore Noah Burns
(33) has the angle to
make a tackle in the second quarter.
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