The Brave 21

By Aimee Bench

Hard work is no stranger to the Timpanogos Football team, especially for the seniors who have played on the gridiron for years. They have practiced during the scorching hot summer days as well as through the snowy, miserable late fall. Persistence and determination take center stage with these boys through the ups and downs of their entire football careers.   

"The seniors are great kids, and it has been a joy to coach them for the past three years," expresses the head coach Brad Molen.

Playing football for so long is bound to bring great memories with the team. Senior Jaxon Fowler says his best memories are "Coach Nichols, the Soph Off (Sophomore Offense) and JV Snow Canyon champions '06." Seniors Bryson Tudor and Parker Brown remember their first time meeting Coach Nichols and "listening to all of his awesome speeches" as being their favorite memories. 

There are many good memories the seniors have. They will always remember Taylor Lyons hurdling defenders on multiple occasions and Orem's last-second field goal bouncing off the upright as just a few examples. Senior JoJo Pili's favorite memory is "making it to second round playoffs last season." The highlights this year include a dominating Homecoming victory against Snow Canyon, a solid win versus Hunter, and a blowout of the Lehi Pioneers on their own Centennial Homecoming.  

  

It is tough trying to complete with last year's team, where many went on to play at the college level. Christian Stewart and David Kruger now play at BYU and Utah, respectively, to name just a couple. They may have huge shoes to fill, but this year's team is doing a great job. While there were no returning offensive starters from last year, several key seniors returned on defense such as JoJo Pili, Jeff Ott and Kellen McWhorter. Next year returns many key players such as junior Joe Kruger, one of the most recruited players in Utah. 

Many seniors have played their last game in uniform, while some are just beginning a new chapter. The football senior night was Oct. 23, where all of the team's 21 seniors were honored along with their parents for their great dedication to this sport.