Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to see is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent.  Place- Larkin and Nortman Memorial Field, Williamston MI, Homecoming.

St. Johns rolls into Williamston riding a 4-0 record. Williamston is riding a 1-3 record, however the 3 teams that had beaten them were 4-0, 3-1 and 3-1, solid resumes, and oh yeah and it’s Williamston’s homecoming. Our Friday Night Heroes have their work cut out for them.

Redwings win the toss and defer. Willy takes the ball. Opening kickoff and away we go.
Willy comes out swinging and fumbles the ball on the first play from scrimmage. The boys in white recover it and 3 plays later are in for the score. 7-0 Good Guys.
The Hornets go 3 and out and just Like the freight trains that run behind Larkin and Nortman Memorial Field St. Johns is rolling again. I-Formation Football, a linemen’s dream, let the big uglies lead the way. 14-0 and we are just getting started. Williamston goes 3 and out again and St. Johns is driving. What’s on the menu to start the 2nd qtr? That’s right, a Redwings TD it’s 21-0. However, if you have ever stuck a stick in a hornets nest, you know that hornets get really mad.

After the kick off Williamston uses 2 huge pass plays and it’s 21-7. They get some stops on the next drive and a high snap on a punt leads to Williamston punching it in. It’s 21-14 and we have a game. Next drive for St. Johns results in a Field Goal and the next drive results in a St. Johns TD and it’s 31-14 at the half with our hometown boys looking to add to it getting the ball back after the half. I wish I could tell you who the homecoming King and Queen were but…

OK back to the facts. St. Johns gets the ball and on our first play from scrimmage we return the favor that Williamston gave us in the 1st half and fumble. I think there were 2 turnovers in the game. Anyway Williamston will not go gentle into that good night, or whatever Dylan Thoms said. They put another on the board and the score is 31-21. Cue up Bonnie Tyler because St. Johns is 4th and 7 and they need a hero. Gutsy call pays off with a big TD To put the game at 38-21 and took the sting (sorry) out of them. St. Johns added another TD later in the 4th to put it out of reach 45-21, ended the game in victory formation and once again are singing the fight song, with a 5-0 record heading into next week’s showdown at home versus the 4-1 Mason Bulldogs.

Dan Ward- You probably know me.

Click for Photo gallery by Glenn Armstrong
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