Area's best teams showed their character in toughest times
Time flies when you are having fun.
I'm talking flying at Bai Kabba or Josh Zinzer speed, two sprinters who brought home state championships last month for Batavia and West Aurora, respectively.
That's how fast we've come to today, with the 2008-09 high school season officially in the books. Is it possible that 10 months ago we were out watching Michael Ratay and the rest of the area football teams going through two-a-days?
That was indeed 10 months ago, and I'm sure before we know it summer will be gone and we'll be back on those same football fields getting ready for another fun year of high school sports in the Tri-Cities area.
Craig Brueske chronicled many of this season's highlights in his column Friday, and today I'd like to offer my two cents on my lasting impression of the school year.
It's not so much all the wins and championships - though there certainly were many. It's not the individual athletes and their success - though all you have to do is look at college rosters and the players' hometowns to see how much talent is flowing from this area to the next level.
Going back to the first touchdown for Geneva football this fall and all the way to the last out by the Batavia baseball team this spring, I've been struck at how many life lessons some of the most successful teams in the area have dealt with, and how they used the most difficult of times to produce amazing results.
For the Geneva football team, it was assistant coach Marc Fagot's battle with cancer. The Aurora Christian football team shared the same emotions with 27-year-old assistant coach Chris Risch's fight with cancer. And this spring, the Batavia baseball team did everything they could to help coach Matt Holm through the loss of his father Denny.
Three of the most successful teams around - both Geneva and Aurora Christian made it to the state championship games in Champaign while Batavia set a school record for wins and came one game short of state - and all three of them playing for something bigger than themselves.
Having talked to players from all three teams, it wasn't a case that you asked a question to prompt them to talk about what they were going through. These kids genuinely cared for those who needed it and wanted their play on the field and their comments in the newspaper to reflect that.
"With Coach Chris, we just wanted to throw everything out there for him," Aurora Christian linebacker Ryan Perik said after a playoff win over Driscoll.
"We decided last year we wanted to win for Dustin (Villarreal), and now there's two people (to win for) with Coach Fagot," Geneva senior Bryce Biel said after beating Crystal Lake South in the state semifinals.
"He's been coaching me since fifth grade," Geneva senior Sean Grady said. "He's always been there for us. He's such a great coach. He's been a huge influence on my life in football and everything."
"I give him hugs every day and tell him I love him," Geneva senior Trey Hemming added.
Fagot passed away in March, but not before getting to see so many of those kids he spent countless hours working with take the field at Memorial Stadium. March was the same month Holm lost his father.
And once again, it was impressive how those 17- and 18-year-old kids wanted to do something to show their support. Batavia's freshman, sophomore, JV and varsity teams attended Denny Holm's funeral.
"We've had plenty of talks with coach and why we are here," senior left fielder Tim Drish said. "It's all for his dad passing away and after that it seems like everyone knows why we are here and why we are winning. We are playing as a team. It's a great thing, and a great feeling.
"I talked to his dad a couple times. The funeral was hard. I think he's doing a lot better now. We have something to play for. He's a great coach. I love him."
Tragically, the life lessons didn't end there. John McNeil, one of those Geneva football players who rallied with his teammates for coach Fagot, passed away in February.
Maybe it would be better if time didn't fly quite so fast. If this year has taught us anything, it's to cherish each day, each practice, each game, every moment with your teammates and coaches. Make every day count.
Judging by these most successful teams, that's a lesson they've had to learn all too well.
jlemon@dailyherald.com