It was almost a picture-perfect night on Friday to open Columbia City High School’s new football stadium.
Great weather.
A battle between Columbia City and a Whitley County foe barely 20 minutes away.
And Blitz was in attendance.
But as much as it felt like the opening night of the high school football season with the giant inflatable eagle, massive scoreboard and beautiful turf, it still felt…different.
“Look at this place, it’s beautiful,” said Columbia City coach Brett Fox prior to the start of his team’s 38-0 drubbing of Churubusco. “I just wish it was full, how great would that be?”
Columbia City was luckier than most on Friday in that limited fans were allowed through the gates. The few hundred in attendance helped a bit with the ambiance, but it didn’t feel the same to ol’ Blitz.
But despite all that, Columbia City put on a show to open its new digs, handing Churubusco its worst loss in 18 years.
The first play from scrimmage actually was a highlight for Coach Paul Sade’s team, a 30-yard pass into Columbia City territory. But the CC defense recovered quickly, forcing a punt and laying the groundwork for what proved to be an impressive all-around performance.
Junior quarterback Greg Bolt hooked up with senior T.J. Bedwell for a trio of touchdowns – all in the first half. Bedwell also threw for a score on a trick play in the second half, fooling the Churubusco defense on a lateral bounce pass behind the line of scrimmage leading to a strike to Hunter Herron for a 51-yard touchdown.
It was dominance from beginning to end, with a young, inexperienced Churubusco team working to find its groove while Columbia City was seemingly in another gear altogether. By the break, Columbia City was up 24-0. By the fourth quarter, we had a running clock.
“Our kids were quiet (in pre-game), and a couple of years ago that would have made me nervous,” Fox said. “I knew these guys were locked in while they were stretching and I knew it was going to be a good night for us.”
It sure was. Bolt ended up throwing for 206 yards and three touchdowns while adding another 72 yards and a score on the ground, thoroughly dissecting a Churubusco defensive unit that looked lost at times.
The victory puts a positive spin on a stretch of negatives. No one knew if we would start the prep football season on time, or at all. Experiences like Friday are something that we all took for granted – even bears.
To be at a brand new, beautiful facility on a gorgeous night for football is something that Blitz stepped back and cherished for a few minutes on the turf.
Churubusco took the loss, but you can bet that Coach Sade’s team were happy to be playing football. The same could be echoed by every single person in the stands.
Friday wasn’t about just a football game. It was a celebration of a gorgeous new football facility against the backdrop of uncertainty.
Do we get through the entire season? Do we get through half? Can we get to Labor Day?
Those questions, at least for a few hours on Friday night, felt a million miles away.
And for that, all teams and their fans, whether they stand 1-0 or 0-1 right now, were winners in Week 1.
These opinions represent those of Blitz and Outside the Huddle. No opinions expressed on Outside the Huddle represent those of any of our advertisers. Follow Blitz on Twitter at Blitz_OTH
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