By Jennifer Gomez | Staff writer
Ranked fifth and rising, Indian Trail High School & Academy’s varsity football team has been killing it on the field this year. With a record of 6-0 at press time, this season has been shaping up pretty well for the Hawks.
In their second game of the year, IT beat the No. 2 ranked team Illinois Stevenson 15-14. Then they defeated neighboring ri- val Tremper High School 24-21. The following week, the Westside pride trounced Racine Park by a score of 70-16.
Indian Trail’s victories have come from the added experience, says defensive tackle Rashawn Leggett, No. 68 and an IT senior. The team has more seniors this year, boys who played together last season and who have grown closer as a team.
“We improved more as a family, we’ve grown stronger, bigger and tougher,” said Brandon Deacon, team kicker and No. 24., also an IT senior.
At the games, you’d think the Indian Trail fans were family too. No matter the size of the crowd, you can always feel the energy in the stands. There has been an up tic in school pride. Themes have been brought back to the football games, like camouflage, black out, superhero, and pink, with students decked out in spirit gear to support their team.
There was an overwhelming show of Hawk pride at the Tremper IT game. So many Indian Trail fans came out to the Tremper stadium that they had to put some Hawk supporters on the Tremper home team side to make room. IT football players got cheers from both sides and won a close game by only three points.
Points were no worry for the Hawks when they took on the Racine Park Panthers Sept. 20. IT finished the first half with a lead of 28-10. The Panthers fumbled the kick off and it was all over. Indian Trail took the win with that outstanding kill of 70-16.
The IT football team has worked hard for their victories practicing at least three hours every day after school and putting their all into game play.
“We can go as far as we want to go,” said Head Varsity football Coach Mike Mckay. Far have the hawks gone indeed, and they show no sign of slowing down.