Coach against player: Mark Marxen (left) lined up to defend Bryan Carpenter in a recent alumni practice. Carpenter, an assistant coach for the CCHS Vikings, coached Marxen two years ago. The alumni will meet on the CCHS gridiron on July 2 to raise money for several CCHS sports programs. Tickets to the game can be purchased at Grand Marais Dairy Queen, from individual players or at the gate on game day.
Big Lance Anderson was bent over, hands on his knees, breathing hard, trying to find some oxygen on the football field before the next play. For a big guy Lance had shown remarkable quickness, but the “boys” had been playing/practicing for more than an hour and Lance—like the late afternoon sun overhead—was starting to fade.
Frankly, other than a few of the younger pups on the field, all the players looked tired.
This was the scene at the third Sunday practice for the July 2, 2016 Midwest Alumni Football game to be held at Lyle Anderson field at 7 p.m.
Over the past 29 years Alumni Football USA has hosted 1,000 games in 24 states and raised more than $770,000 for local communities.
Although most of the players hadn’t been closer than their TV sets to a football since high school, after several series of plays one could see some old skills reappear as the the rust—and sweat – peeled away.
As a tackle eligible, Tyler Maruska made a nice catch over the middle on a throw from Chris Smith. Smith quarterbacked for both teams to keep the sides even, and most of the offensive plays featured the pass. It was tough to score on a run in this rough-and-tumble two-hand touch game. When it comes time to play the real game on July 2 guys will be suited up in pads and helmets and they will engage in tackle football.
For this practice the CCHS football field was shrunk to about half size to accommodate the seven-on-seven scrimmage. This was the smallest turnout of the three practices at that time, but the men on the field said they were thrilled to be playing ball again.
Most played for CCHS, but it isn’t mandatory to take part in the game, said Kyler Hawkins. “Some of the guys have moved here to work and have families here. They’re part of the community now and it’s great that they want to play.”
Near the end Andrew Strand was down field limping, his giddy-up gone because he had pulled a muscle. This could be potentially bad news for an upcoming marathon he planned to run, but Strand looked to be shaking it off.
Earlier Strand had made a great one-handed catch, and Danny Ford had made a similar catch for a touchdown.
Near the end of the game Pat Eliasen was on the bench taking a breather. Hawkins, who said after one play, “Gee whiz Pat’s faster than I thought,” had paid him the ultimate sideways compliment. “I figured he would be like, snap the ball, run a few yards then stop for coffee and donuts.”
Eliasen might be the Cook County Sheriff, but on the football field he’s just one of the guys. When asked when he had last played football, Eliasen responded, “1988. I was an all-conference tackle at Vermilion.”
Danny Ford laughed when he heard Eliasen. “That was one year before I was born,” he said.
Red-cheeked Eric Brisson played football nine years ago. When questioned if he was working out to prepare for the big game he shrugged his shoulders, “No, I’m working a lot, but I’m not working out.”
Mark Marxen graduated high school two years ago and played his first year at Vermilion College. He is still quick, fast, and unlike many of the older players he still has muscle definition because he lifts weights and runs. Marxen, Danny Ford, Kyle Ford, Slade Bickford, are all still “lean and mean,” graceful gazelles against guys who, later in the scrimmage, started to run like they were wearing snow shoes through deep powder snow.
Towards the end of the scrimmage the older guys never got too far away from where the ball was snapped while the younger guys chased each other down the field like young hares chasing a golden carrot.
Chris Smith—he of the golden arm—last played for CCHS on the first state championship team in 1997. ”I played wide receiver and cornerback. Well, I played wherever they asked me to play,” he said.
Some of the guys played in college. Rob Hackett even played one year of semi-pro ball eight years ago in the Twin Cities. “That was eight long, long, long years ago,” he said.
At age 44, Hackett is one of the older players on the field. When told by one of the younger guys that he and several other linemen were sporting extra girth, Hackett replied, “We’re not fat. We’re just too short for our weight.”
Bryan Carpenter last put on pads in college in 1993. Today Carpenter is an assistant football coach for CCHS. When questioned which was easier, playing or coaching Carpenter smiled and answered, “It’s easier to coach but much more exciting to play.”
For most this scrimmage was a chance to play competitive football again, and if they couldn’t always stretch the field with leg speed, they certainly stretched it with their good-natured chatter and banter.
As far as the final score, no one could remember but they were all pretty sure their side had won.
With the game approaching excitement is building. “So far 33 guys have paid and about 40 signed up,” said Kyler Hawkins, a player and one of the event coordinators.
“Some of the guys are coming from out of town. Jeff Mattson, Tryg Waterhouse, Travis VanDoren, live out of the county but are coming back to play,” said Hawkins.
Tickets to watch the game can be purchased for $10 from the Dairy Queen or from individual players. Hawkins said 500 tickets were printed but he hoped more would have to be ordered to meet the demand.
Fifty percent of the profits go to the football team, 25 percent to the girls’ basketball team and 25 percent to the Booster Club, said Hawkins. Proceeds from tickets sold at the gate go to Alumni Football USA.
Lyle Anderson will coach one team and the other team will be coached by Dale “Bucko” Bockovich. A draft of sorts was held and Team Anderson will be made up of Lance Huskey, Kent Anderson, Craig Horak, Pat Eliasen, Mark Marxen, Brandon Marxen, Jeff Backlund, Chris Lavigne, Tyler Maruska, Mike Austin, Steven Roy, Lance Anderson, Bryan Carpenter, Travis Vandoren, Nathan Wallerstedt, Brian Allen, Mike Boomer, Chad Morawitz and Steve Waver.
Team Bucko will consist of Noah Warren, Seth Warren, Andrew Borud, Tryg Waterhouse, Darin Brazell, Kyler Hawkins, Charles VanDoren, Brad VanDoren, Eric Brisson, Brandon Donek, Chris Smith, Danny Ford, Jeff Matson, Rowan Watkins, Rob Hackett, Miles Drake, Kurt Steele, Karl Olson, Ashley Curtis, and Slade Bickford.
“If more people sign up, they will be added to a roster,” Hawkins said.
“Hopefully we’ll raise a lot of money for the school,” said Anderson, who had finally caught his breath. “But I also hope we inspire some of the younger kids to come out and play, especially the little ones, and especially the kids who don’t think they can play but just need some encouragement.”
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