With a goal of a state championship on the mind of every high
school player in Ohio. Teams are taking the field today in the quest of that
goal. One school wanted to be the first on the field and the last on.
Huber Heights Wayne has been to a state championship game. In
1999 the Warriors made the finals only to come up short. In what has become a
tradition at Wayne, the first practice on the season is really the first
practice. With one of the nations top players in Marcus Freeman the
Warriors didn't wait till normal morning practice times to start the 2003
season.
On Monday morning at 12:00 am. Head Coach Jay Minton watched as
the score board counted down the time for the start of the 2003 season. At 12:01
am. he blew the air horn and the 2003 season got under way. With that the
team stormed the field for its first practice of the season and the start of its
goal. STATE CHAMPIONS!
Will the Warriors be champions in 2003? Only time and a ten game
season will tell if the Warriors make the playoffs.
In the stands were students, fans and parents watching the
Warriors take the field. When the team sprinted across the field the crowd rose
and cheered. In a change from last season the team had no music or fireworks due
to complaints from houses in the area. No problem, the fans in the stands made
enough noise to start what may be a season ending with a
championship.
Talking with Head Coach Jay Minton he told OPS "Our goal is to
be the first team on the field and the last one off".
If anyone knows of any other teams that started the season this
way, let us know so we can give them some props in helping the season start on
time.