AUSTINBURG — Two weeks ago, a group of student athletes rang the Grand River Academy victory bell. Last week, the same students rang the bell for the very same reason. These victories were not the normal ones the school has been used to; they were new and unique. For the first time in almost 80 years, Grand River Academy won a football game.
Their team is not called the Eagles, as one might think. They are the Ashtabula Heralds. The team was rapidly thrown together when Ss. John and Paul parents realized that they would not be able to field a team this year with the number of boys who went out for the team. They called GRA headmaster, Randy Blum, and because he had always wanted to try football at the academy, gave the idea the go ahead.
“Our dilemma in the past has been the cost of the equipment needed for football and the number of athletes needed to field a team,” said Blum. “Because we are using SSJP equipment, and some of their players, those obstacles were cleared, and we embraced the opportunity.”
A coaching staff was quickly formed, a schedule was thrown together, and four days after The Heralds put on pads for the first time, they managed a 13-13 tie against Cardinal High’s Junior Varsity team. Since then they lost to a tough Perry High Junior Varsity squad, and then they won their last two games against Burton Berkshire and Southington Chalker.
The Heralds are comprised of 22 students. Thirteen of these boys are from Grand River Academy, four are from Ss. John and Paul and five are homeschooled. They are not a normal high school football team by any means. Most notably, they are playing under “club” status in their first year in existence. The team has never played together prior to this season, and many players have no experience whatsoever playing tackle football. To make up for the team inexperience, some of the Heralds players have been playing most of their lives, like team captain Justin Krainz, a GRA senior from Austin, Texas.
“I had been playing since I was really young,” said Krainz, the team’s quarterback. “In fact, last year at GRA was the first time I had not played since I was 6 years old. When I heard that we were going to have football in my senior year, it was like I was dreaming.”
Jackson Ruane is a home schooler who previously played at Lakeside High School. He has brought great experience to the team as running back and kicker.
Center Ben Thomas from Ss. John and Paul was concerned at first whether this experience would be too different from what he knew in the past, but after his first practice he told his father, “I met guys on my team from Chicago, Texas and Arizona. I’ve got new friends from all over the country.”
The coaching staff also came together very quickly. Head coach Dan Riddell, who played at Harbor High School, is assisted by former Ashtabula and Boston University star Matt Dempshar as well as local coaches Mark Thomas, John Hermick, Rob Fortune, Tim Bisaroe and Les Anderson.
The Heralds are led by senior captains Justin Krainz, GRA, and Brian Mayberry, SSJP. Running back Ben Sesso, a GRA senior from Chicago, is the leading rusher. He ran for four touchdowns and 189 yards last Saturday in a comeback win at Southington. Peter Horwitz, GRA, from Evanston, Ill., is a leader on defense. He had 11 tackles in the same game.
Many Heralds are “two way” players, with responsibilities on offense and defense. Fullback Sam Slovin, GRA junior from Phoenix, Ariz., also lines up at linebacker on defense.
“It’s not easy going through practice and the games, and then handling the academics, but this has been a great year so far,” Slovin said.
With the new spirit that has hit the GRA campus, perhaps the victory bell will ring for football victories for many years to come.
Next Generation
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