Roarin' Wolverines, Tigers and belly mice

COLUMN BY MATT PRANGER

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Roarin' Wolverines, Tigers and belly mice

How 'bout those … Friday Harbor football players. Practice, perseverance, patience and pluck paid off for the Wolverines as they spoiled Coupeville's homecoming with a 21-13 victory Friday, Oct. 19. The win was more than Wolverines' first Northwest A League victory of the 2001 season. It marked the first time a Friday Harbor football team won in nearly three years and hopefully a new era.

A hearty cyber-shoulder chuck is extended to all the Wolverine football players and coaches, especially the few who've toiled through 19 consecutive losses.

Thanks goes to the Wolverine assistant coaches for helping the players learn a new system and new head coach. (Assistant coach Shannon Plummer, one of the dedicated long-time Wolverine coaches, was still beaming Saturday afternoon. He earned the right to smile until the next kick-off.)

First-year head coach Dave Anderson, more familiar with basketball's round ball the past decade, earns credit for picking up the oblong ball this season. His faith in his players kept them motivated through six losses this season, including a few in which they led.

Of course, the Friday Harbor football players deserve a deafening, rousing cheer -- one 1,000 times louder than Wolverine cheerleaders' best. Even though the team didn't have enough players to practice a full scrimmage, they managed to compete, even lead in most of their games. After six losses, they could have moved up and down the field without passion the rest of the year. Instead, the Wolverines persisted. They didn't hang their heads and become lackadaisical. They remained resolute, hitting hard until the last second. They earned other teams' respect -- Coupeville was concerned enough to scout the Wolverines. They became winners.

Unfortunately, few islanders saw the Wolverines' triumph. However, seniors Roccay LaRock, Adam Posenjak and Brett Percich and the rest of the Wolverines have one more chance this season to win before the home fans. Let's show our appreciation by filling the stands and sidelines and cheering until our throats are raw when the Wolverines host Archbishop Murphy at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 26, 2001.

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Keep your megaphones out for Saturday when the next generation of Wolverines play: The three Friday Harbor Tigers teams enter the first round of the playoffs. The Seniors kickoff at 10 a.m. on the Friday Harbor High School football field, followed by the Juniors at noon and the Freshman at 2 p.m.

The Tigers slashed through the competition this season. Let's acknowledge their hard work by roaring our thanks. Maybe some solid encouragement by more than moms and dads - coupled with seeing success at the varsity level -- will prompt more Tigers to continue in high school.

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As a high-schooler I experienced victory and victory, defeat and defeat and defeat, then victory again. My junior high team went undefeated. After two years, my freshman-sophomore team's best outing was a tie. My senior year we played in the state playoffs.

That was several seasons ago -- many more than the recent few the Wolverines struggled through. Now, instead of blocking a gaping trap, I cheer on Green Bay from my recliner. Unlike my prep forays when recovering a fumble was the only chance this offensive guard had of touching the ball, now I move the ball all the time. OK, the ball is in my computer mouse and it doesn't really move up and down the field: It rolls around my belly as I type stories or surf the net while watching the Packers trample most foes.

Other reclining linemen might be interested in my football viewing equipment, so here are a few helpful hints:

Laptops are for losers or Bears fans. (OK, same thing.) I prefer a full-size monitor and keyboard. The monitor perches atop a stool to my left and the keyboard rests on my lap. The keyboard is much lighter than a laptop and my paws don't cramp up. The monitor displays Web pages large enough that you can actually recognize players in photos. Prevent injuries: make sure the monitor is out of arm's reach - you don't want to smack it when you signal a touchdown.
Wear an appropriate shirt. Button-down flannel won't work. Neither will ribbed sweaters, embroidered sweatshirts or T-shirts with slick, iron transfers, such as the Rolling Stones tongue. A snug but comfy cotton T-shirt is preferred. But, please, keep your shirt on! Bellybutton lint fouls the mouse and you don't want to arouse your sweetheart during a big game.
A computer tower is not an end table. Save your hard drive from sticky carbonation damage by placing your pop, beer or other bubbly beverages on some other item. Just flip over that wicker basket filled with Oprah and People magazines and put it to good use.
Plan on some physical therapy. Or just plan on buying bifocals to keep up with the up-field and down-field action.
Avoid costly penalties. The rec room referee detests sloppy play. So, after the game, break out the Shop Vac, suck up the crumbs and return all furniture to its proper place.

Hope you keep the ball rolling.

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Don't wait for the opening night reviews to decide whether to attend the Tony Award-winning drama "Dancing at Lughnasa." The talented cast -- Susan William, Julie Greene, Lori (Kowalski) Narum, Sandy Woodruff, Susan Shirmer, Bill Lembeck and Dorian Oliver -- warrants attending the production directed by Williams. The play opens Nov. 2 with additional performances on Nov. 3, 4 and 8, 9 and 10.

news @sanjuanislander.com

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