A feel Good High School Football Story

[hsfootballfan777]

I know Wartburg had a Tornado hit years ago before a big Playoff game.This is from Illinois where the town of Washington Illinois got hit hard by a Tornado.The Washington High Panthers are getting ready for a State Semifinal game this Saturday vs Springfield Sacred Heart Griffin.They spent yesterday helping coaches,neighbors,relatives and friends with clearing debris and such and not practicing."In 

light of Washington tornado distaster, here's what SHG's Ken Leonard 
told me the Cyclones are doing to help their semifinal opponent: "We've 
collected several thousand dollars already from our football team and 
football family. We've got two charter buses going up there to pick up 
fans because they need transportation. A lot of them don't have 
transportation. We're feeding those fans before and after the game. We're going to 
feed the team before the game and after the game, and take care of any 
needs they may have. The extra money we have leftover, we'll give to 
Washington High School.Now is another updating I am posting.They had a football-related meeting Monday night at Sacred Heart-Griffin High School. But it wasn’t the SHG coaches going over the game plan for the Class 5A playoff semifinals.

Ken Leonard, SHG football coach and athletic director, said a meeting for the Cyclones’ football parents was scheduled. The purpose was to discuss ways to help the Washington High School team and its fans in the wake of a tornado that caused major damage in the Tazewell County community on Sunday.

SHG will host Washington in a semifinal game at 1 p.m. Saturday.

While many particulars have not been ironed out, Leonard said SHG wants to make Saturday’s experience enjoyable for the Panthers and their fans. It will be six days after their town of 15,000 was devastated.

“We’ve talked with (Washington coach Darrell Crouch) and their athletic director (Herb Knoblauch),†Leonard said. “We want to know what we could do as a team and a school to help with what their needs are.

“It’s tough. They’re human beings with needs. I have some relatives of mine in Washington, and all of them are safe, so that’s good. But we want to help.â€

Charter buses

Leonard said one clear need for Washington fans is transportation after their vehicles were damaged or became inaccessible because of the storm. He said SHG has secured at least two charter buses to transport Washington fans to the game, and attempts are being made to get more buses.

“We’re going to feed their team before the game and afterward,†Leonard said.

Leonard said the Washington High School campus dodged the main path of the tornado, but several Washington players and one member of the Panthers’ coaching staff lost their homes.

With school not scheduled to reopen until at least Wednesday and access to the town being limited, Leonard said the Panthers probably will practice at a nearby facility, possibly Illinois State University.

While Washington’s attempts to rebound from Sunday’s disaster will be a major storyline for Saturday’s game, Leonard said it’s still a football game — and a very important one at that.

“One thing they’ve said is, they want to get back to normal,†Leonard said of the Panthers. “They want this to be a football game, and there’s a lot of meaning to this one. It’s for a trip to the state championship game.

Read more: http://www.sj-r.com/breaking/x825432281/SHG-to-host-Washington-1-p-m-Saturday#ixzz2l6Pz0nYk

[twobamafansonecup]

Nice.