Kay, Cary-Grove community richly deserve this championship
CHAMPAIGN - As Bruce Kay walked away from the on-field awards platform after Cary-Grove defeated Providence 34-17 to win the Class 6A championship trophy in Champaign on Saturday, the veteran coach's thoughts turned to those who aided in the decades-long quest to elevate the football program to the pinnacle.
"It's such a community," he said. "For everybody here to share in this... It's been a long time coming. They've all given so much to the football program. It's just nice for us to have the top prize."
Then Kay picked up a ball bag and a tackle box that had been left on the sideline, proving the work of a football coach is never done, not even the newly minted champion variety.
Moments later in the press box, after he commended the effort of his players, Kay expanded upon and thanked the unsung heroes who helped Cary-Grove achieve high school football nirvana for the first time since the school opened in the fall of 1961.
"It's definitely a culmination, not only for myself but for (defensive coordinator) Don Sutherland, who has been with me for so long," said Kay, whose career record in 21 seasons improved to 158-66. "Our line coach John Bryan has been here so long, and Brad Seaburg, and Ryan Passaglia is a coach here for so long and was also a player and Mike Manning went to school here and played for us.
"And this is for all the members of our football family who have supported us. It's been 21 years of parents contributing to our golf outings, the different fundraisers and all the things that they've done. Really, it's been 21 years of people contributing to the program and us finally getting that big trophy."
Kay, Sutherland, and the rest of the staff work days, nights and weekends - in-season and out - to prepare their players for any scenario they might face week to week. It's a Hurculean level of dedication, of time, of will. Such behind-the-scenes effort is not lost on the Cary-Grove players.
"He deserves it more than anyone in this state," senior running back Alex Hembrey said of Kay. "He's worked so hard. He does so much for us, all the coaches do. It feels amazing to give him the state championship he deserves.
"And when you have support like this," Hembrey added, pointing to the still-cheering crowd, "you really want to get things done. They've supported us all along the way. This is for them, too."
It's impossible to know what Kay was thinking about as he listened to Hembrey speak at the podium in the press box after the game. Whether it was the words coming out of Hembrey's mouth at the time or two decades worth of memories cascading through the coach's head, his eyes welled and reddened for a moment. He stifled his tears, marking the second time Kay has done so during a postgame press conference at Memorial Stadium.
The first time was in 2004, when he stood side-by-side at the podium with then-seniors Brian Mitz and Will Yocius, all of them despondent after a Class 7A title-game loss to Libertyville. Kay - who played for Cary-Grove's first conference title team in the Little Seven in 1971 - answered questions after the Libertyville game like the professional he is, though it was clearly the last thing he wanted to do.
But that 2004 season, regardless of the bitter ending, signaled a new beginning for the football program. The 3-3-5 defense Sutherland directed that year would only get better in subsequent seasons. The triple option offense Kay guided would only grow sharper claws.
Ultimately, it all came to a sweet conclusion in Champaign on Saturday, when Cary-Grove achieved the perfect confluence of scheme, talent and community support.
Asked where his medal from the 2004 game rests, Kay thought about it for a second before remembering it was at home in a case in his office.
Asked where his new medal can be found in the years to come, he didn't hesitate to answer.
"Around my neck," he said with a big smile.
Wear that medal proudly, Bruce. You, your staff, the players and the entire Cary-Grove football community that supports you deserve it.
jfitzpatrick@dailyherald.com