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High Schools Battle For More Than Football Title
December 21, 2009 Much about the Texas 5A Division II state championship on Saturday night was big — the stakes, the schools, the stadium and the expectations. Abilene High School, which hadn't been in the state championship game since 1956, took on Katy High School, the two-time defending champion.
Texas High School Football Titans Ready For Clash
December 18, 2009 The two best high school football teams in Texas play Saturday night at the Alamodome in San Antonio. Abilene, which hasn't been to the state championship since 1956, is taking on the two-time defending state champion, Katy. Attendance is expected to reach as high as 40,000.
Football Recruits, Families Face Fierce Rush
November 27, 2009 Being the center of the high school football attention has changed as recruiting now starts earlier and earlier. Players and parents may rush college decisions just to put an end to the recruitment process.
In Massillon, High School Football Is 'Who We Are'
November 20, 2009 The Ohio school has a 20,000-seat stadium, a $3 million indoor practice facility and a live tiger for a mascot. Massillon teams have won 22 state championships and they're in the running for another one. It's football "sunup to sundown," the head coach says.
Halftime Is A Warm-Up Act For Marching Bands
November 13, 2009 For Sunset High School's band, Friday night games help prepare for Saturday competitions. That's when band parents and friends cheer for these champions from Portland, Ore., as lustily as football fans and when judges rate musicianship and movement.
A Brain Battered By Football
October 23, 2009 The years of hard hits have left former NFL player George Visger with severe memory loss. His doctors warn his brain problems could get worse quickly. While he struggles with his short-term memory, his days as a star high school lineman are vivid and special.
Football Blowouts: The Art To Winning Big
October 16, 2009 Every year, one or two high school football games get national attention for lopsided scores. No one likes to lose, but can something be learned by being on the wrong side of a blowout? Are we too willing to vilify coaches who are on the winning side?
High School Football Refs: Ghosts Of The Gridiron
October 9, 2009 Football is often called controlled mayhem, and we have the officials to thank for the controlled part. But any self-respecting football referee would prefer to be invisible during play. "The best game is one where the officials are totally incognito," say high school football ref Rick Gilbert. But take a close look. There's more than black and white stripes.
Touchdowns And Triumphs For Military Students
October 2, 2009 At Fort Campbell High School, located on a military base in Kentucky, players focus on football and play hard, even while dealing with a parent deployed in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Exchange Students Tackle Football, English In Oregon
September 25, 2009 In Unity, Ore., the Burnt River Bulls play in the 8-man football High Desert League — and they often turn out their minimum number of players. But that's not the only challenge the team faces: The majority of the players are international — and they're still learning the basics of the game, not to mention English.
Young Polynesians Make A Life Out Of Football
September 18, 2009 Scroll NFL and college football rosters and you'll see the distinctive names from the Pacific Islands. With their traditionally broad, solid bodies and competitive nature, Polynesians have distinguished themselves at the elite levels of the game. Many start at high schools in Utah.
Faith Helps Team Stay In Big-School Football
September 11, 2009 Mount St. Joseph Academy has just 53 boys enrolled, but the Catholic high school clings to its storied football past, continuing to field a team in Vermont's most competitive division. Increasingly, critics question whether the team can hang with the state's version of football powerhouses.
Do Random Tests Keep Teen Athletes Off Steroids?
September 4, 2009 In Texas last year, 45,200 student athletes were tested for steroids under a tough new program for high schools. The most frequently tested were football players. Only 19 athletes tested positive. Some say that's proof that the testing deters kids from using drugs, while others say the program is flawed.
Emotional Game Honors Slain Coach In Iowa
August 31, 2009 Thousands of people turned out Friday night to watch the Aplington-Parkersburg High School football team play — and win — its first game since 1975 without legendary head coach Ed Thomas. A former player has been charged with shooting Thomas to death in June.
Football, Grief And Resolve At Iowa High School
August 28, 2009 Tiny Aplington-Parkersburg High in Parkersburg, Iowa, plays its first game Friday since the slaying of its beloved coach, Ed Thomas, allegedly by a former player. The coach was a pillar of the community, and was instrumental in rebuilding efforts after Parkersburg was devastated by a tornado last year.
