Friday Night Lights 2013: Week 2
The old man and I headed to Lone Tree for what became a beautiful evening/early-night for high school football. The Lone Tree Lions were hosting the North Tama Redhawks.
Where is North Tama? Way up in Traer, which is on US Highway 63 between Tama/Toledo and Waterloo. (I needed to look that up.) Though the big 4A schools travel to Waterloo and Dubuque, it seems to me the smaller schools do a fair bit of traveling, too. There was a sizable contingent of Redhawks on the visitor’s side, so the teams travel well. Or at least the parents and siblings do.
Much like our visit to Lone Tree last year, my dad and I stood at the trackside fence with one of my dad’s former co-workers. Though it was a warm day, it was much cooler than last week and the game started on time at seven. At kickoff, the sky was a cloudless baby blue and the bright orange sun was just above the tall corn behind the scoreboard on the west side of the field. (Lone Tree’s field runs east-west.) After the sun set behind the corn, the western horizon and a line of clouds glowed orange and what I assume was Venus shone bright white against the darkening sky. It was a beautiful scene and the air began to cool as the lights took effect.
Lone Tree controlled the game from the kickoff, and especially dominated the first half. The son of my dad’s co-workers plays for Lone Tree and the kid was in beast-mode tonight. He made about eight tackles, recorded a sack, caught at least one pass (I think; I assumed he caught a touchdown pass in the first quarter but my dad didn’t think so), booted four extra points, and blocked a punt. He was everywhere; the announcer was always saying his name. The Lions took a 28-0 lead into halftime.
North Tama was physically and athletically overmatched. The Redhawks had more players over 200 pounds than Lone Tree, but North Tama’s offense was sloppy. The center and quarterback where not on the same page at the snap; the exchange was fumbled three or four times. And the QB could not protect the ball; he fumbled two or three times himself. But the Redhawks settled down in the third quarter and drove inside the Lone Tree 15. However, penalties pushed them back and they turned it over after an unsuccessful fourth down attempt at the end of the third quarter.
That was when we left. My dad wanted to get home to see the end of the Regina-Solon game. Lone Tree eventually won, 28-0, leaving the Redhawks with a long drive home.
Speaking of the drive home, when my dad and I left the game and drove through Lone Tree, the town was dead. Except for the street and porch lights, and the glow from the football field, it was dark and lonely. Was everyone at the football game? I doubt it, but it seemed that way. At least it was quaint and comforting to think so.
Where is North Tama? Way up in Traer, which is on US Highway 63 between Tama/Toledo and Waterloo. (I needed to look that up.) Though the big 4A schools travel to Waterloo and Dubuque, it seems to me the smaller schools do a fair bit of traveling, too. There was a sizable contingent of Redhawks on the visitor’s side, so the teams travel well. Or at least the parents and siblings do.
Much like our visit to Lone Tree last year, my dad and I stood at the trackside fence with one of my dad’s former co-workers. Though it was a warm day, it was much cooler than last week and the game started on time at seven. At kickoff, the sky was a cloudless baby blue and the bright orange sun was just above the tall corn behind the scoreboard on the west side of the field. (Lone Tree’s field runs east-west.) After the sun set behind the corn, the western horizon and a line of clouds glowed orange and what I assume was Venus shone bright white against the darkening sky. It was a beautiful scene and the air began to cool as the lights took effect.
Lone Tree controlled the game from the kickoff, and especially dominated the first half. The son of my dad’s co-workers plays for Lone Tree and the kid was in beast-mode tonight. He made about eight tackles, recorded a sack, caught at least one pass (I think; I assumed he caught a touchdown pass in the first quarter but my dad didn’t think so), booted four extra points, and blocked a punt. He was everywhere; the announcer was always saying his name. The Lions took a 28-0 lead into halftime.
North Tama was physically and athletically overmatched. The Redhawks had more players over 200 pounds than Lone Tree, but North Tama’s offense was sloppy. The center and quarterback where not on the same page at the snap; the exchange was fumbled three or four times. And the QB could not protect the ball; he fumbled two or three times himself. But the Redhawks settled down in the third quarter and drove inside the Lone Tree 15. However, penalties pushed them back and they turned it over after an unsuccessful fourth down attempt at the end of the third quarter.
That was when we left. My dad wanted to get home to see the end of the Regina-Solon game. Lone Tree eventually won, 28-0, leaving the Redhawks with a long drive home.
Speaking of the drive home, when my dad and I left the game and drove through Lone Tree, the town was dead. Except for the street and porch lights, and the glow from the football field, it was dark and lonely. Was everyone at the football game? I doubt it, but it seemed that way. At least it was quaint and comforting to think so.
