Hawk Talk

Winter Kickoff, Wild Comeback: Hawk Talk Gets Crazy

• Tom Frank, Grey Frank, David Klingel, John Yore, Quinn Houst • Season 4 • Episode 85

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South River, buckle up — this one’s loaded. We’re back at the Green Turtle and diving head-first into a brand-new winter sports season, a historic football run toward the Elite 8, and a jam-packed slate of special guests that basically turned Hawk Talk into the Avengers of Seahawk Nation.

Athletic Director David Klingel gives us the full winter rundown: indoor track’s 105-strong army, cheer’s redemption tour, a surging swim squad, unified bowling joy, a wrestling room ready to rumble, and hoops season heating up for both the girls’ defending champs and the boys waiting for their football warriors to return.

Then things go full-on electric as we relive the wildest football win in school history — a comeback, a roller-coaster student section, a legendary kick, and enough adrenaline to power the stadium lights for a week. We’re joined by student broadcaster Quinn Houst (future ESPN problem), Acting Principal John Yore (cannonballing into the job), Coach DeSantos, Coach Lucas, and a crew of players who live for moments like this.

Plus: flag football dominance at the middle school, Chick-fil-A-powered roller coaster practice, and everything you need to know before Friday night’s WHITEOUT showdown vs. Oakdale.

Seahawk Nation, this episode is the definition of “all in.” Go Seahawks.

Hawk Talk is hosted by Tom Frank, Jaden McDuffie and Grey Frank, and brought to you by Chad's BBQ, Merrick Creative, and Maryland Remodeling Expert. Don’t hesitate to contact us through Instagram @SRHawkTalk or by email at SRHawkTalk@gmail.com. Please reach out, send updates after games, let us know about fundraisers, big events, etc. This show is only as good as what we know. So get involved! Subscribe, Listen and Share the show on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts, leave us a rating on Apple, help support the show at https://srhawktalk.buzzsprout.com, and spread the word Seahawk Nation. #WERSR

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SPEAKER_13:

Welcome back to the Ock Nation. I am Tom Frank.

SPEAKER_06:

I'm Grayson.

SPEAKER_13:

And we are talking all things, South River High School Sports. Octop is brought to you in conjunction with the athletic department at South River High School. Merit Creative, your end-to-end creative agency dedicated to amplifying brands' authenticity through branding, marketing, and public relations. Chad's Barbecue and Marilyn Remodeling Expert. Alright, we're back at the Green Turtle. I like being at the Green Turtle. Feels like home here. The actual manager came out. I thought was gonna kick us out at first, but then he realized what we were doing, and he loves it. There you go. So he's into it. He'd say come back each and every week. Yeah, just call. Just call him in advance, maybe. Um we got a lot to cover tonight.

SPEAKER_05:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_13:

A lot to cover tonight. We're gonna we're gonna talk winner sports. Teams are set, practices have begun, games are right around the corner, as well as a crazy game last Friday, and another big one. Big one this Friday.

SPEAKER_03:

Huge.

SPEAKER_13:

Huge. But before we dive into football, let's kick let's kick things off with a guy that gets us started every single season. He's our athletic director, David Klingle.

SPEAKER_07:

How are you? Doing great. Uh great fall season. Uh obviously still going into uh November. Thanksgiving time. First time in 20 years where we've had the chance to play on Thanksgiving Friday. So, you know, it's a very exciting time. And jumping into the winter season uh last Saturday, I feel like uh, you know, we got we got a great winter season uh on on board for us as well. I like fall.

SPEAKER_13:

What's that? I feel like it was a really quick fall. It was a quick fall, but now it's extending. Yes, it's extending significantly, which I love.

SPEAKER_07:

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_13:

I mean, football at Thanksgiving time doesn't get any better than that.

SPEAKER_07:

Doesn't it? Nope. Looking forward to it. Got a big one this Friday. We'll talk about that.

SPEAKER_13:

All right, we're gonna get all in the football, but first, let's run down our sports. I'm gonna throw them at you.

SPEAKER_07:

Yep.

SPEAKER_13:

And you give me the give me the loaddown. We're gonna we're gonna start with indoor track and field.

SPEAKER_07:

Indoor track. They they started there, they always have a great turnout. We had uh over 105 kids try out. They're uh in the process of making their final cuts. 105 kids. 105 kids try out. That's uh you know, it's a great uh great program. Uh new coach this year, uh Caleb uh Foster, who is our um cross-country coach.

SPEAKER_13:

Uh oh, he's coaching the indoor as well. Yes. Okay, and we've got we've had him on the show.

SPEAKER_07:

Yeah, brought uh brought back in alumni Gwen Zukowski, uh who uh was a uh pole vaulter at the University of Maryland, uh ran it in their track program, uh, as well as uh Jordan White, uh who's one of our teachers at South River, and uh Nate Nienhaus, who's gonna be a uh volunteer coach for us. So they got a great staff, uh a lot of uh a lot of kids that played fall sports soccer, uh, as well as our cross-country runners, soccer, field hockey. They they they all flock to indoor track. Obviously, uh 105 kids, a lot of kids, but it's a great program and it keeps kids involved.

SPEAKER_13:

Where do they where do they actually run?

SPEAKER_07:

They practice outside, so it's the yes.

SPEAKER_13:

So it's indoor and outdoor. Yes.

SPEAKER_07:

Uh my daughter ran last year, and that was one of the reasons she's not doing it this year. It gets a little cold. It gets a little chilly, and uh, you know, it it takes a lot of discipline to do. They run their uh meets at the Prince George's uh County Sports Learning Center, which is a great facility. Yeah. Wish we can get in there more, but you know, when there's only one of those uh around, it's it's tough and all the counties around the school area. Uh all the schools need to get in. It's it's tough to get into. So they get about five or six meets there: county championship, region championship, and state championship. So, you know, they're the we'll have it, we'll have a solid squad building off our great uh cross-country season and uh you know, adding those kids from other sports. We'll have a great year.

SPEAKER_13:

I love it. All right, we got to go to the cheerleading. We have a winter. I you know what is interesting about cheerleading? They do it in the fall. Yep. If they don't win it all, they come right back in the winter. Not a lot of sports get to do that.

SPEAKER_07:

Yes, and and the gentleman we'll talk to a little later has a lot of experience with great cheerleading programs uh at Chesapeake High School.

SPEAKER_05:

Ah, all right.

SPEAKER_07:

You know, so we'll uh you know, our girls didn't have the the fall that they wanted. They they had a little slip up in the regional championship, but really competed well up until that point. It's just one of those things. You have one bad fall, it can it can cost you, and it did, but you know, they're they're right back at it. Same group uh coming right back at it. And uh I know that Bev had their biggest turnout for winter season she's ever had. So it's uh you know, she she's excited. They're making you know making their team rosters today, and I'm sure they'll be uh ready to go and uh you know have a great winter season ahead.

SPEAKER_13:

I like it. Uh swimming.

SPEAKER_07:

Swimming. Uh we have a new coach, uh Chris Swenson. Uh new coach, yeah. Second day of practice today. So uh we had over 50 kids try out for swimming. Uh you know, uh from what I hear, we have a strong freshman group coming in. Yeah, and uh that's a good thing. Uh when Crofton came, that was one of the sports that hit us pretty hard uh as far as the numbers. Yeah. Uh last year I think we had like 35 tryout. This year it's up to 52. And with the with the group we have coming back, uh, I think that swimming will be a uh, you know, it'll be back on the rebound, and and Chris will have a great year with our swim program.

SPEAKER_13:

I like it. I like it. We've got to have a good swim team. Yes. And then I know one of your favorite, I uh bring up Unified Bowling.

SPEAKER_07:

Yep. They always do the bowling. I always say it. If if there's a place that you want to go to smile each day, you go to the Unified Sports uh and at South River. You know, we're we're playing for the in it to have the kids involved. They had their first practice yesterday, three hours at the bowling lane. Where do they where do they bowl at? Annapolis Lanes is where they practice.

SPEAKER_12:

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_07:

So they got on a bus, they had like a field trip in the middle of the day. Uh, you know, Gillian Cresswell and Jen Labs are coaching. They coach tennis, unified tennis as well. And uh, you know, the the kids have a blast with that. Very uh it's uh throughout the county, just a great community uh involvement and the schools really pull for each other and just a great program to be a part of. And a lot of our a lot of our student athletes during the you know during their off season that they are not participating in their main sport, they get involved, they get involved in that, and it's uh it's just a wonderful thing to see. And you know, uh I know Jen and Gillian are great people and they're they're just you know that they'll have a lot of fun with that as well.

SPEAKER_13:

That's great.

SPEAKER_07:

Yep.

SPEAKER_13:

And then wrestling. Now I think wrestling's kind of interesting because you know we were we were wet back-to-back state championships. Uh you could call it a fall off last year, but it they still went pretty darn far. Yes. Um how how are they gonna look this year?

SPEAKER_07:

I know John's pretty excited about the team. Uh you know, he's got, I mean, Jackson Peoples, uh, Ethan Berger, Chris Millard, uh all all region. Uh Chris Millard and uh Jackson were regional champions last year. Uh I know he's very excited about a lot of their prospects in the state this year. Uh looking at uh looking at our region, uh Stephen Decatur's in our region this year. Uh they're gonna be a tough tough.

SPEAKER_13:

Is this the first year that we'll be in this region or in a slightly different slightly different?

SPEAKER_07:

Usually we're in Chespeaks region, which is actually a good thing that we're not in their region this year because they'll have a really strong program. And if we beat Decatur, which I think is an Arundel or the two other stronger teams in our region, we'll be looking at uh hopefully Ches Peak in that final four with Lingonore and uh a lot of usual suspects in uh the uh sports that we're playing in the fall now. Lingonor and played them in field hockey and you know uh Ches Peak, Stephen Decatur. You know, it you're getting to see those great programs. They're they're great, they're great across the board, and uh so are we. So it's a good it's a good competition level, and it's good to see different teams throughout the you know that you don't usually play. You know, I we used to be in Saverna Park and Broadnecks region, and you know, now that we get to play some new teams, it's a little bit more travel, but it's a little, it's it's very exciting when you when you go get play new teams. So I know John's got a great lineup. The one thing he'll have is we always have 14 wrestlers in his lineup, ready to go, strong team. Yeah, and uh, you know, it we I think uh teams like Ches Peak, Stephen Decatur, ourselves, although we do have great individuals, we pride ourselves on the team involvement of the sport. Yeah, and it really is uh I think built our program to where it is because it just keeps on, you know, bringing kids in that have wrestling experience. But one kid he's really excited about is Zach Philpot, who is our defensive lineman that uh that uh he wants him to wrestle. And I think Zach's I think he's gonna come in and try to be our heavyweight team. Heavyweight, they need a new heavyweight, right? Yep, absolutely, with Pasayo uh graduating, and Zach will uh, you know, I I think just walking on the mat before he's taught anything will win 70% of his matches. And then, you know, I think John and uh Dave can teach him a lot as far as uh technique and uh really have him uh somebody people don't want to see on the other side.

SPEAKER_13:

Well, I got a challenge for Coach Cless because I feel like over the last year, it used to be wrestling. Wrestling was the thing that competed for the state championships. We've had soccer, we've had basketball, we now have football.

SPEAKER_07:

Yep, field hockey in the state semis this year.

SPEAKER_13:

Field hockey. Come on, coach, you gotta get back in the uh mix here.

SPEAKER_07:

He'll be there. Uh I if there's one coach I always say that uh, you know, uh I wouldn't trade for the world, it's him. Uh, you know, with the sport he coaches and the level he coaches at. He's uh a phenomenal, uh phenomenal coach, phenomenal man that you know teaches our kids uh you know, all the you know, just teaches them how to be good young men and you know a lot of wrestling in the middle of that. And uh, you know, they'll they'll be there. I th there's like I said, there's a team that I always have confidence in being there at the end, and he'll be there at the end knocking at the door.

SPEAKER_12:

And one of your uh favorite teachers and hardest classes, of course.

SPEAKER_07:

Yeah, strength and conditioning, it's not just any gym ties. No, he's not uh it's not uh it's not an easy out as far as a PE class. You got to come ready to work if you're uh with him. He just uh him and uh Coach Harris, our baseball coach, did this uh ruck walk uh a couple weeks ago. It was a 12-hour walk, or they walked 34 miles with uh Coach Morole from uh was there at four in the morning and walking. They had a flash, he had a flashlight. They they were limping around for a couple days. I would imagine so. Yeah. So they're uh yeah, they're still struggling for that.

SPEAKER_13:

All right, now we gotta talk boys and girls basketball. There you go. Some big expectations here. Girls are coming off a state championship. They lost some people, but they got some good ones back.

SPEAKER_07:

Yes.

SPEAKER_13:

Uh what are we what are we thinking about?

SPEAKER_07:

You know, when you when you win a state championship, obviously the next year everybody's gunning for you. Yeah. Uh and that's gonna be no different this year. Uh, you know, they've they've been a two-time defending county champion uh last year, went undefeated in the county after a two and six start.

SPEAKER_12:

Yeah uh for you forget about that two and six start, yeah.

SPEAKER_07:

Started two and six and then rolled off, I think, you know, 18 or 19 in a row. Uh you know, they have Ciara West who's back. Uh you know, she was the uh the one that got got things started in the uh in that state championship game and had a great run there. She can drop 20, 25 points in a heartbeat. And then Cami Burke, who's uh with along with Reagan last year, was kind of the engine as far as the uh um, you know, just the dynamic of the team and and you know, making steals, being everywhere. A little different role for both of them this year because they're the ones that people are gonna look to when things aren't going right. Yeah, that's true. When you had Carly and Reagan and you know, Adela and Riley and Skyler last year, that group of seniors, when things weren't going right, you look to them. Now, now the eyes are on Cami and Key to uh you know to produce. And you know, Leila Boucher is gonna step into a bigger role, Maya Parker's gonna step into a bigger role. We got some young kids like Macy Lilly. Uh-huh. You know, I mean, they're gonna, you know, they're gonna have to step up. Uh it's not gonna be easy, but again, like I feel like when push comes to shove and the season moves along, they'll get better. Uh you know, I don't it's not like you're gonna judge them like last year. You didn't judge them in December. I think you start to judge them in January, February, and and you know, they'll they'll be there at the end. And uh I I like our chances in our region. And uh you get to that reseed in that eight, they got they got a chance to do so now. Yep.

SPEAKER_13:

It's gonna be a lot of packed games again. I love it. Yeah, basketball atmosphere at South River is phenomenal.

SPEAKER_07:

It's gonna be great.

SPEAKER_13:

Yeah. And then we got the boys.

SPEAKER_07:

Yep. A lot of talk about expectations. Well, kind of, we have the boys because eight, I think eight of them are playing football now that are still.

SPEAKER_13:

That's a good point. Yeah. Is there eight of them?

SPEAKER_07:

There's eight that I think are gonna try out for the team uh that are still playing. So So how does this work? So when when football is over, hopefully December 5th, 6th, somewhere in that range, uh, we'll we'll have a try-out period for them of one or two, probably one or two days at that point because uh you know you're you're starting games already, and uh now there used to be a rule where you had to wait five days to play, but they changed that where you know when team they didn't want to penalize the teams that were doing well at football. So they can jump right in, but there's obviously gonna be a rust period with with those guys because they're outside playing football, hitting each other, and you know, when you come in to play a more of a finesse game like basketball, you know, it's gonna be a little we're gonna have a lot of guys foul out early, I believe. You know, so uh, you know, Darren, he has had trials, he's got 11 guys with the team right now, and then he's got eight guys trying out. So it's gonna be like uh, you know, an intro he hasn't had to deal with that ever. So it's gonna be interesting. It's been tough, but the amount of work they do in the offseason, I think that they'll be uh they'll be ready. And Jamie and Jonah, Jamie, uh Finn, Jonah Hall are you know two of our senior uh 17-point scorers from last year. They're they're they're over there practicing right now, and that they'll hold it together. And I I I told Darren, you know, because you know, my daughter asked me on the way to school, you know, do you think Coach Hall is upset about like not having his team? I said he wants to have his team, of course, but he's coached Jaden since he's been in fourth grade, yeah, and he wants the best for him and to to succeed on the football field and all those guys that have played with him because you don't get you only get so many bites at that apple. You know, this very often. No, absolutely not. And uh, you know, when he's and I told Darren when he's uh when he's doing the same thing and his lacrosse and baseball kids are waiting to start their season, yeah, you know, it they'll have the same feeling and want our kids to do well. And you know, Darren's uh, as you know, all South River. And uh, you know, through and through he went there and you know it's it's it'll be like I said, it's it's a it's a unique experience for them right now, but I feel like this is gonna make them stronger and and better later in the year because they'll be they'll be more fresh. Yeah, that's right. And uh, you know, it's a basketball is a long season. You know, you start now, you don't end until four months from now. Yeah, and you know, there's a lot, there's a lot that happens in those in that time. Like last year, Jaden got hurt in January. Really never never really got back to himself. Yeah. And you know, maybe this year is a year where he comes in, you know, January, February starts to get rolling, and then March is when he peaks. Yeah, and that's when you want to peak along with the other guys. So you know, it's you know, you just kinda one door opens, the other door, you know, one door closes, the other door opens, and you just try to uh you know make the best out of the situation. And Darren is the most positive person that I know. Yeah. And uh, I was talking to Coach Kessinger about how Darren reacts to situations and how Coach Klesinger and I react to situations.

SPEAKER_13:

Very different.

SPEAKER_07:

Very different. You know, you know, you Darren doesn't, Darren's got a great poker face, and you know, doesn't let kids see him panic, where John and I are a little bit more emotional. And uh I think both things are good, but uh, you know, Darren will have them ready to go. Uh he'll have them ready to go December 5th at Glen Bernie, and he'll have them ready to go whenever the football guys get back. So, you know, they'll be they'll have a great season. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_13:

And it this show usually turns into the coach all show at a certain point. So he's he's just gonna have to wait for a little bit.

SPEAKER_07:

Yep, absolutely.

SPEAKER_13:

He'll get his moment to shout. Um, and let's not forget about ice hockey. We always forget. Uh we we have a guy in the house that's on the ice hockey team. We're gonna get him on here in a minute. Sweet. Uh, but we still have an ice the ice hockey team, and then they have a big game Friday after the football game, I believe.

SPEAKER_07:

They do, yeah. Uh yeah, and uh, you know, the uh you know it's not one of our athletic program uh sports, but also those kids put in a lot of time, effort at the rink in the mornings. Uh, you know, they they got a great squad all the time. And uh one of our ice hockey players, uh Quinn Houst, is uh doing the play-by-play. And we got Quinn here. Oh, quinn's here.

SPEAKER_13:

Quinn is here. He's we're gonna get him up here because I'll tell you what, he did a magnificent job.

SPEAKER_07:

He is he's tremendous. We've uh that's one of the good one of the things I'm very excited about. Uh I was gonna talk about it tonight. We started a little sports broadcast club, uh, and Quinn and uh there's three other students that have have joined him. Uh but Quinn Quinn's got a future in this stuff. Yeah, he's fantastic. You know, the people that have listened to the game, uh where did you get these guys? I've I've got and you know, he's uh my favorite line last week. We had a AJ uh AJ Booser, uh recovered a fumble, and you know, he's like he said, you know, AJ Booser with a fumble recovery, and then he followed it up with I had PE class with that guy. You don't really want to mess with him.

SPEAKER_13:

I'm gonna bring him over. We're talking about you right now, Quinn, and he's in the room. You gotta put these headphones on. You can sit next to Gray here. We got two guys we're gonna introduce right now. So, Quinn, we've been talking about you for a couple minutes. You gotta repeat what you just said though, because that was so good.

SPEAKER_07:

I was telling him about the uh the AJ Booster story about how you know he made a nice fumble recovery, and then Quinn threw in there I had PE class with that guy last year, and he's someone you don't want to mess with. I I heard you know, I I l I shared that clip with a lot of people around school and that they got a kick out of it. But more importantly, the the entertainment value and and the professionalism that you brought to the broadcast has been terrific. I've gotten so many compliments about that over the last three uh the three games that you've done, and uh, you know, Quinn's gonna hopefully do some basketball games for us and lacrosse. And uh, you know, I I gotta teach them how to do field hockey. So uh my my so my mom watches a lot from Pennsylvania and she watches my daughter, she says it's very boring when you're just listening to Dead Air.

SPEAKER_13:

It's unbelievably boring. Yes, so you're yes, yes.

SPEAKER_07:

So it's a great service. Uh I know the coach uh former coach at Eleanor Roosevelt, his daughters play field hockey. He was listening to the football game last week. He's like, these kids are awesome. Yeah, you know, and you know that they they do provide a great entertainment value and just the knowledge we meet every Thursday, and uh, you know, we'll go over Oakdale and watch some video on them so we can you know give them their their props for being there. Uh but you know it it's been a great uh great addition, and we'll look forward to it building on that over the next few years.

SPEAKER_13:

So we got two people joining us now. We got Quinn, who we've been talking about, Quinn Houst, who is our is our is turning into our the voice of South River.

SPEAKER_08:

I love it. Yeah, it's been a fun start. Um yeah, it's just been difficult trying to get it going, but Mr. Klingel's been a big help, and yeah, it's a great start.

SPEAKER_13:

And you've done a great job. And then who would ever thought that you'd be introduced at the same time as our new acting principal of South River? You're the I think you might be the highest level person that we've ever had on the show. I mean you're you're the acting principal. John Lore.

SPEAKER_09:

John Yore, yeah.

SPEAKER_13:

John Yor, John Yore, John Yore. Yes. So John, we're gonna get to Quinn in a minute, but you you need to introduce yourself. Sure. Because uh I you know I don't know if a lot of uh of our community know exactly who you are yet. They probably don't. Uh I've been here for I think about six days. Oh, six days, yeah. All right. And within those six days, I I did see you doing the roller coaster with the student section at the game. Right.

SPEAKER_09:

So you're you're already in. So it's been a very exciting uh first week. Uh one of the things, one of the things I've discovered in my 40-year career is students everywhere I've been are amazing. South River has phenomenal students, uh, a couple sitting at this table with us. Um and uh it's been a it's really really been a joy to come in and and be part of that. Uh and to come in and you your football team is playing in close to Thanksgiving, yeah. That means you had a great season, and they are an exceptional group of young men, but also phenomenal football players. So it should be a great game coming up. I mean, we've got we have a on all three levels, uh our team is excellent. Absolutely. And Oakdale always brings the same. I think they're gonna they're gonna show up. They got they kind of come in with like a uh spread option offense with a quarterback that can run, gotta contain him. And they also have a couple of pretty good sized receivers, which I think we can handle, but he can throw it to him too. And but the nice thing is we have a quarterback and can zip it down the field. Yes, we do. Yes, we do. So our our offense, defense, and special teams are exceptional. Uh, I think it's gonna be a great game. South River comes out on top, in my in my estimation. But um I like it.

SPEAKER_13:

Well, before we get to that game, though, because we gotta break that, we gotta break down this last game with all of you. That was like to me, that's a historic game. I I I can't think of a a better game that's ever been played at South River.

SPEAKER_07:

Now, you guys, you have a little more history than I do, but I I mean as far as a close, uh, a close you know game that uh you know, with a lot on the line, there hasn't been one, right? We I mean we we've had some playoff games at home that we've won, we had some that we've lost, but to be down 14 heading into the fourth quarter with 10 minutes left. And uh, you know, you you start when when when you get down in the playoffs, the time starts to go a little quicker. It did, yeah, and you you look and all of a sudden it's a fourth quarter already. And our and uh our kids didn't give up. Like they they just kept they kept grinding. You know, that we we got down, it was I think it was 28-14, or it were down 14. Or no, I think it was 21-6 at the time, and we drove all the way down to like the 13-yard line and fumbled. Yeah, that was heartbreaking. That was that was one of those where you're like I think a lot of kids start to look at each other and say, Is this is this over? Is this it? You know, and we got a three and out real quick. Paxumatus makes a nice tackle, uh, makes a fourth and two. They punt, we come down and score, get the two-point conversion, and then they then they get an interception and they score. And and again, they they're we're down 14. So uh, you know, a lot uh a lot happened where our kids just didn't give in. And that's credit to the coaching staff, that's a credit to the kids. Uh, you know, that the fact that they have trust in each other. And I'll give some credit to this guy because that's when the roller coaster came out uh down 28-14 and then and you know really stemmed the uh chain some momentum.

SPEAKER_13:

I mean, we are sitting with three people that had a big that you know, they weren't on the team but had a big part of this. We had the roller coaster going, we had the guy standing right next to him on the roller coaster, and we had the guy calling the game. Yeah, like it doesn't get him in there. What what did you guys think of that atmosphere? Because I thought it was the best atmosphere I'd ever seen in a high school game.

SPEAKER_09:

And and I was thrilled with the uh theme last week. Yeah, in which they had told me, because that's the one theme I really like. So one of the girls threw me her Santa hat, so I got to wear that for the There you go.

SPEAKER_06:

Yeah, I just I I feel like we never really stopped giving energy, even though we were down. I feel like we just we stayed loud the whole team and everything, they kind of just got behind it. It was really cool at the end seeing all the players come over to the student section, celebrating with them. And the two special, yeah.

SPEAKER_13:

The towels were great. I mean, that was awesome. Everybody better bring that towel back. Yeah, we need the towels back again. Uh what did you think? And the call in the game? You were like you were in the energy.

SPEAKER_08:

Yeah, um, it was a great atmosphere. I like I said what my color guys said something like we both are big Xbox guys. We both said this is like a stadium pulse like college football 25. We said it's unbelievable. Um yeah, it was it felt like a college football game almost.

SPEAKER_13:

Yeah. And to see us win on a field goal by Greg Proud, how long was that field goal?

SPEAKER_07:

I think it was like 18 yards, the the wet that one, though the one that he missed versus the rough thing was 46. That's right. I thought he was gonna hit that one. That was about a foot short.

SPEAKER_13:

Yeah, yeah, and then to have the chance to do it again and win it, whoo! Can't beat that. Yeah, yeah. Sometimes, sometimes you just gotta get a little lucky, right?

SPEAKER_09:

That's all part of it.

SPEAKER_13:

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_09:

Yeah. When the uh when I went over to the student section because they've been talking about this roller coaster, and and we at that point we were down 14, and they're like, Mr. You are we're down 14. I said, listen, I've been known to see the roller coaster change and turn the tide of the game. There it is. And uh, but they the students were so pumped up, and I think that contributed to the energy of the players on the field. Yeah, obviously. And you know, football is an exceptionally wonderful event because it's the community coming together. You have you have the band there, you have the cheerleaders, you have the football team, you have the student section going crazy. I mean, it's just an atmosphere that is really not replicable anywhere else.

SPEAKER_06:

Yeah, shout out the band too. I thought they they were really in sync with us on the chance.

SPEAKER_13:

Yeah. Yeah, the band's really been coming through. Yeah, yeah. So we had big games. I gotta give some stats here because we had some great stats here. Bet Ben Rains threw for 342 yards, three touchdowns. He's on a roll. I mean, he is playing well. He had a little trouble at first. They were getting to him, but he he kept coming through. Um, and then Jaden. Gotta talk about Jaden. So Jaden broke what now this record that he broke for the most consecutive.

SPEAKER_07:

And it was 19, I think. 19.

SPEAKER_13:

Yeah, and so he is now sole possession of that record.

SPEAKER_07:

That's that's awesome. Yeah, Jayden is a uh he's a special individual. Uh my my my daughter sometimes says you you give him too much credit sometimes because you know you don't want to make his head too big, but Jayden is a uh, you know, he's a he's a person that people like gravitate around. Yeah. Uh, you know, when you look at like you look at our team this year, I think a lot of those kids that came back this year that played with him as a 13-year-old came back because you know, of him and and like and the ability for him to bring them together. And you know, Ben was you know lives in Mayo, played at Mount St. Joe, and you know, the fact that he had the trust to come back to South River and you know, and and Zach and uh you know Xander and that that group is just they're a great group of kids, and I'm just glad they're getting to experience this together because that's how it's supposed to be. Yeah, you know, we took I know all the private schools have great institutions, they're great places, but there's nothing better than playing for your hometown school with your home, your best friends that you've grown up with. Sure. And you just don't get that at the at the point.

SPEAKER_13:

I think it's not only the camaraderie of the kids, but even as a parent, yeah. I remember these kids when they were 10 years old, six years old. Like we were all that all these kids were playing together now, and now to be able to go to the games and like you have a different appreciation because I'm rooting for these guys. Like there is a bond, even though I'm not their parent. Like, I don't even have a son on the team, but I know that he knows these guys, and it's just special. And I and I love it as a community for South River.

SPEAKER_07:

Yeah, you know, yeah, there's there's teams that like uh as an athletic director, you know, you you you you try to support every team the best you can. There are teams that that let you in as an athletic director and let you be a part of the pulse of their team. This is one of those teams. Uh, you know, girls basketball was last year, and that that that program has a special place in my heart because I coached for that, I coached that program before Mike, but you know, John's wrestling teams. I try to walk through practices, talk to the kids all the time just because I just want them to know that I'm there for them. And and uh, you know, that their their ability to like I take their losses and their their their wins to the pillow at night when I go to sleep. And you know, it's uh you know, last Friday was a tough night to fall asleep because it was just so exciting. And uh, you know, I'm just happy for them. You know, you don't get to experience this. Like, this is I've done this for 20 years. This is my first chance I've had to play on Thanksgiving as an athletic director. Yeah. And it doesn't come around that often.

SPEAKER_13:

We are making history right now, so we we play at 6 30, right? It's a 6 30 game. White out Friday. Whiteout. I was just gonna ask you that. White out. So everybody's gotta wear white. I don't care if you're a student, a parent, a grandparent, just a person off the street. Wear white. White, wear white. Yep. And and remember those towels.

SPEAKER_09:

Yeah, of course. Yeah. The roller coaster does look good in the white. Oh, I think it's gonna look fantastic white. Yeah. Coach uh Klingel mentioned something about Jaden about being, you know, having his head on his shoulders and not getting. But this is the way in the short time I've seen this football team, that's the way it seemed like all the guys are. They yeah, they talk about they don't you don't hear them talk, nobody's talking about an undefeated season. Nobody's saying, you know, they talk about being 1-0 or 0-0. And and it's about it's really about team, and there's very the individual aspect is is not really it's it's really about them collectively. And I think that's what helps teams become the great the great teams. Yeah.

SPEAKER_13:

Now, Quinn, we're not gonna see you, we're not gonna hear you because you have a hockey game that same night. Is that right?

SPEAKER_08:

Um, I actually I'm gonna be able to do the first half.

SPEAKER_13:

We gotta pull you in. We need you in the first half.

SPEAKER_08:

Yeah, uh, yeah. I have to me and you have to talk about that week. Uh but yeah.

SPEAKER_13:

You'll just make an announcement right now.

SPEAKER_08:

Yeah. Uh yeah, hopefully I'll be able to do the first half. Uh yeah, got a hockey game Friday night against Kent Island.

SPEAKER_13:

Awesome.

SPEAKER_08:

Not the best timing in the world, but that's all right.

SPEAKER_13:

Yeah. And then I want you back more often.

SPEAKER_08:

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_13:

We gotta get you on here. I want you all winter sports. If you're calling the basketball games, let's get you involved. Yeah. You do you do a really good job. So I and I wanted to be able to publicly tell you, I was texting you or on Instagram, and I was like, man, you're doing a great job. I think this is you.

SPEAKER_09:

And uh yeah, it was great. So I'm very excited about uh the fact that we have an uh ice hockey team. And two of my schools, my previous schools had ice hockey, so it's kind of cool to see um you know a team that's full 100% South River students, which is it's great.

SPEAKER_13:

And then we got we have a we have a bonus. Like usually I only get one great guest. I've had two, three, and right behind you, we got some of the football coaches coming in here. We got to get some perspective from these football coaches. We got some players here. Yeah. What's that? We got a lot of players. We got a lot of players here. So we're gonna let these guys come in next. Thank you.

SPEAKER_07:

Okay, before we go, uh we on Friday, yes, we are having a practice. Roller coaster during Nest. So what what the Booster Club is uh the booster club generously offered for students that are buying their ticket. So we asked them to buy their ticket, show it at the first block of nest. The first 200 students to come practice the roller coaster with us in the gym. We'll get a free Chick-fil-A sandwich on uh for lunch on uh you might have to stick around for that. There you go. Free Chick-fil-a sandwich for lunch on uh Friday, and we're gonna practice the roller coaster. Am I eligible for the more than welcome to come, Tom? Uh but the cheerleaders will be there, and you know, I talked to them today. I told them, you know, we want to make sure that we we do it right and uh, you know, it so I was very impressed with how well they did it with that.

SPEAKER_09:

But out of that whole practice, right? And uh well, we want to bring our A game to the Oak Hill game. I know we're we're gonna be uh on top of it. And the the White House is gonna even make it spectacular. Yes.

SPEAKER_07:

Yeah, the uh little one last thing about Mr. Yore and his, you know, just his uh, you know, I told the cheerleading team today, some people when they come in, they put one foot in. He's jumped both feet. He's jumped all of it. One of the cheerleading coaches said, no, he did a cannonball. And uh, and I said, and but I I have my my best friend is uh the Chesapeake Athletic Director. Okay. And uh he's had the pleasure to work with Mr. Yore for six years. And uh, you know, the the things that has been have been said from Chip, yeah. I mean, he we share uh we share a lot. We're we're like I said, one of my best friends I've had. Uh and this man here, you know, I've always wanted to I've always always talked about how great a principal he is, and we're just lucky to have him and uh in the this capacity that we have him now, and uh look forward to working with him.

SPEAKER_13:

All right, we're gonna do something we never do, which is we I gotta remember to take pictures of all this. Boom. We got the we got a picture. Principal your thank you.

SPEAKER_09:

I'm honored to be part of this family, this South River family.

SPEAKER_13:

Finally got a principal on. I feel like this is like having the president on. Yeah, yeah. You are welcome back anytime. I'll see you at the game. Thank you. You'll be back on. You may regret that. And you're always welcome. You can stick around too. We got we got we got the we got the coaches coming on, we got some players coming on. Thank you, guys. Thank you. And we'll be right back.

SPEAKER_01:

Welcome to Merrick Studios, where stories take the mic and culture comes alive.

SPEAKER_13:

We're not just a network, we're a family, bringing you smart, soulful, unjected conversations.

SPEAKER_01:

And this season, we're bringing the heat on our biggest lineup yet. Whatever you're into, music, sports, business, we got you covered. Merrick Studios, where the conversation starts and keeps going.

SPEAKER_13:

Check out our full lineup, including Unglossy with Bun B, Jeffrey Sledge, and myself, Tom Frank. Now streaming at wearmerkstudios.com. Now, back to the show. Ted Four Scooby-Doo. Thank you. We go from the top cracks at the school to you guys.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah, yeah. That's what I'm talking about.

SPEAKER_13:

So we got the coaches back. You guys said you would be back. We're back.

SPEAKER_04:

Introduce everybody that's here. We got a lot of people here. We we added a couple uh guys this week, well deserved. Um we have 21 Jump Street right here. What's up? What's going on? I don't know his real name, but that's 21 Jump Street. It's like J something, J B, J P something. J R. I don't know. There's been a bunch. We got uh big Sean over there. All right, he's back. Welcome back, Sean. Sean's playing inside linebacker for me this week, which is a huge thing, which I appreciate. Shout out to Sean. And then we got Pax, my son Pax. What's up, man? Inside linebacker. Little shipples is running around here somewhere. Uh we got a new guy, too. We got uh Hooper.

SPEAKER_07:

Hold on. All right, they were playing walk talk in their locker room. Bring it on. Bring it on. Yeah, yeah. They were playing uh Jake and Erd's comments. What's going on? Oh, you know, they're they're might have said some other colorful language, but yeah.

SPEAKER_13:

So now when you see that hock talk is being played, even in your opponent's locker room, bring it up.

SPEAKER_04:

I'll tell you what, it's it's getting huge. I heard a lot of people come up to me and go hawk talk, and I'm like, you know it. We got Hooper over here, not sure what his name is. He was my middle linebacker, Torres Lavram, big baseball player. Okay, came out this year, absolute stud in the middle, but uh we had him for three games. I'm still mad at him. And then we got Ben Keith, the guy with two uh first names. I can appreciate that. And then the king of them all is Lil Shipples. There's nothing like him in the world. Shipples come on up and give a shout out. Shout out Big Shippy. Shout out Big Shippy. Absolutely. Shout out uh big less. We're not going the other way.

SPEAKER_13:

All right. So we got Coach Lucas, we got Coach Dean. Yes, sir. Tell us about, I mean, I I was saying this earlier. I think historical game, probably the best game ever to witness at South River last week.

SPEAKER_04:

I agree. It was surreal. It was watching that field goal at the end, it was like time just froze watching that thing go through the field goal pose. It was amazing.

SPEAKER_13:

Now, I want to publicly say something to these guys. I I I had to stay home. So I watched the game, but I listened to Quinn. Okay. And Quinn was fantastic. He was and I was in a room of people, and they all were like, ah, this game's over. They're down 14. And here's what I said: I said, This is not over. We are gonna come back and we are gonna win on a field goal by Greg Proud, guaranteed. Boom, he did it.

SPEAKER_04:

Never lost faith in you. I knew you were gonna come back. Now, every time Proud gets credit, I throw it back to Little Shippy. Little Shippy. I was gonna say the same thing. He got run over. I don't even know. I don't even know if he got run over. I think he did a great job. He winked at me and gave me the muscles, and now we got we got a first down. So Schipples, shot out. Shadows, good acting. There were some people mad about that card.

SPEAKER_13:

I'm sure there were on some Facebook pages that I that I found. But he was hurt. It is what it was.

SPEAKER_04:

He played hurt. Yeah. I liked it. What did you think as a coach, though? I mean I I just sitting in that situation. Let me tell you something. And on the sideline, I know a bunch of these guys, maybe not 21 jump, but a lot of the defensive guys I walked by, and I was like, guys, two things, have fun, and number two, believe that you can do this. Never quit. And and in the back of my head, honestly, we knew we could come back and do it. And these guys were praying on the sideline. I remember Pac's like, God, just put me on the field one more time, and I just want to get the ball back to the offense and do it. And he did. And they stopped them and they came up with it. It was a different team. It was a different level. And uh the guys we had on the field on Friday night is a it's a different group, man. There's something in the air, there's something inside of them. The motors don't stop. And uh you kind of had that feeling when the when the momentum started to shift that this ain't over. No. Get your seatbelts on. Okay, your seat belts. It was a great game. That's right. Great game.

SPEAKER_13:

So, what do we know about this coming game? Coming up Friday night, white out, 6 30. Bring the towels back. Bring the towels. Bring those other stuff like claffers and what did you guys think of the? I thought the fans, that was the best I ever saw the fans. They rock. The fans were rocking.

SPEAKER_03:

I mean, it was awesome. Mr. Yor had the student section going. We were rocking. Proloco. Yeah. Mr. Yor, good addition, a great addition. Great fan. Great addition to fan base. A late season edition, but a great one. Yes.

SPEAKER_04:

Yep. And uh my best friend, too, is Chip Schneider, and had him as a principal at Chesapeake for a long time, like Mr. Klingle. So I I knew him from over there, and him coming here is a great addition. It's a great thing.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah, my first three years as an educator, I worked for Mr. New York. He's a great guy, cares about the kids. He brings an energy to the building that we haven't had in a long time in the building. He generally cares about the kids, generally cares about people, and I think the faculty, the students are really relating to him very well.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah. People are pumped up though about that this team and where we're going and what we're doing. Yeah. You know. So a big one this Friday. Huge. There's a good perennial.

SPEAKER_03:

They're a perennial powerhouse. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04:

Quarterback's going to Naval Academy. Oh, is it? He's a wide receiver, though. Yeah. I think he's an athlete and they put him at quarterback because they don't have a great quarterback. But uh he makes things happen, and you know, we've got a good plan though. I think the guys we have in place and what we do, I think we'll we're gonna surprise a lot of people. It's gonna be a good game. Yeah. Listen is. Let's try not to make it as close as the last time. The ambulances were there for me because I was about having a heart attack. Right. So I was like, see those lights over there? That's me in about five minutes. Right. Yeah. Medium husky.

SPEAKER_13:

So we need all the fans back out. All of them. All of them. We need all of them. What do you guys think? You're deep into this now.

SPEAKER_11:

I mean, the the crowd was so loud last time. Like noticeably. I jumped off sides one of the times because I literally did deny it.

SPEAKER_04:

Yes, we did. He blamed the opposite.

SPEAKER_11:

We need all the South Area students to come out. I mean, it's a big game for us as a football team, and then just for the school and itself. I mean, everyone's got to pop out. Yep. He's got a great nickname, too.

SPEAKER_04:

We can still get a bum 21. Oh, sorry, Sean. Should say it again. Sean, say it again. Say it again.

SPEAKER_03:

There's D cuts you off. We can still get some more students, too. The whole left side's almost open. Oh. Okay.

SPEAKER_13:

All right. More students. A little bit of jump.

SPEAKER_10:

Nah. Legitimately, in my four years of playing here at South River, I think that was by far the best crowd.

SPEAKER_13:

The loudest, crowdiest crowd there was.

SPEAKER_10:

It was great. It was great. They were hyped. They quiet down when you needed them for like.

SPEAKER_13:

They knew what they were doing.

SPEAKER_10:

Shout out 34 for uh the great snap, you know.

SPEAKER_02:

Thank you. Thank you. Yeah, I mean, definitely very stressful. Yeah. I think as a defensive player, the on uh third down and fourth down, they were the the crowd was definitely the loudest that they have ever been this year. So energy was there.

SPEAKER_04:

Shippers brought the house down too. I don't care what everybody says. That kid is legit. He's a little shy right now, but I'm telling you right now, that guy is a stud. So big, big game. Big game. What else? What else you got for me? Well, you know, we're uh we're excited. I think these guys are in a rhythm. They're getting uh their game feed on, and uh we're we're gonna have a lot of people. Good week of practice. Real good week of practice. It's getting uh it's weird the weather's been like cold, but it's been cold. So it's kind of like you know, that's not really playing a factor. I don't know what the weather's gonna be like Friday. I heard maybe rain, but a little bit warm. I don't want rain. No, no one wants rains, but uh uh oh I mean rain, not rains. Um but I think it'll educate it. Yeah, I know. Smart mouth. But um no, we're excited. We're very excited to have them in. Coach over there is a good coach. Uh he runs a really good program, Coach Stein, and uh you know, interested what what I don't think he's seen a team like us. No. I think the teams he's been playing, their offense is completely different, and uh he's gonna see some different stuff.

SPEAKER_13:

Well, will Oakdale bring a crowd?

SPEAKER_04:

They'll bring a crowd. Football is important up there. Update the crowd. It's football country. They'll they'll bring people.

SPEAKER_13:

Did we have a good the the crowd for uh the last team? Charles.

SPEAKER_03:

Well, they weren't that into it, I don't think. Yeah. Well, Caleb's roommate went to Oakdale, and he told Caleb when it this past week they will bring the crowd. Okay, they'll bring these down here. How far away are they? They're about a little about over an hour, an hour and fifteen from here. Somewhere near. Yeah, they're in La Jan'sville. It's kind of like Urbana and all that.

SPEAKER_13:

So we need to buy up all the tickets right now. We need to buy everybody's gotta buy their ticket in advance.

SPEAKER_04:

And then no one goes, except for us.

SPEAKER_13:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah. All right, that's our plan. Their other side, too.

SPEAKER_13:

I like it. I like it. That'd be awesome. Let's do it, guys. This is the next step. Every time you win, you come back.

SPEAKER_04:

That's that's what I'm talking about. That's that's that's can we come back if we we win again? Yes. All right. I you know, I don't want to over step a little bit. Just keep coming back. Can can we can we talk about one other thing? Because I know where you're going because you know where I'm going. And I want to hear the update. Um, I'm gonna tell you right now, this central middle school girls' flag football team. Coach Luki and I have taken this on, and you know, we're all football mode right now with the boys and and getting them ready and stuff like that. But this girl's team is legit. They just went to broadneck and put a beat down on uh broadneck tonight. And um, we played tonight. Shout out to uh Chloe Island and Gianna. And Gianna, shout out Gianna is sneaky smalls, too. She is so fast, she's like Xander Girl for one. She just you can't stop it. You can't. Defense is they stayed on their half of the field the whole game. I mean, it's just they're having a lot of fun. They're serious too. They're so serious. I mean, you told me that they might even be more serious than any other team you had. Anything I've ever seen. Like they they were punching me before the game and just so focused. And uh, you know, we saw we were at the game, and we have old players that come back to watch us play, right, Coach? Who was it? Sparky island. Sparky Island. Shout out to Sparky. He came back and he was watching the game, and and we all, the girls cheered him up too. We gave our rear rally call. Broadneck was scared though. You could tell the look in their eyes. They're like, they they saw nothing like this. I like it. We just we, you know, they don't talk smack, they just stay. They get they get stickers for good plays, too. Not so good plays, no sticker for you. So they know what's up. So you're motivating by snippets, motivating by scratching snippets.

SPEAKER_13:

No scratch and sniff. That's important. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah, and then they're all fighting for stickers, so we'll see how it goes.

SPEAKER_13:

But I love it. So you come back, you give it us an update on the city.

SPEAKER_04:

I want we we definitely want to do that. Flag football and just let's keep it in our continuation next week. One game at a time, of course. But uh, we're excited, we're confident, and uh we need those fans out to support us.

SPEAKER_13:

So, South River community, if you're listening, South River Nation, buy your tickets now, 6 30, white out, Friday, rain or shine. Boom, boom. You're there. Pack the mess.

SPEAKER_11:

If if tech tickets sell out, just climb the fence, all right? We need everybody there. We need everyone.

SPEAKER_04:

Just climb the fence. Just say 21 jump told me to do it.

SPEAKER_11:

Yeah, blame it on me. I don't even care. Climb the fence.

SPEAKER_04:

Climb the fence. Shippy, shippy.

SPEAKER_00:

The team feeds off the crowd's energy. So when the crowd gets loud, when the defense and offense is making big plays, like the team, we feed off of that, and it just gets us going. We want to make more plays.

SPEAKER_04:

Shout out to Shippy and his backflips at the end of games. Have you seen that? I have. It's disgusting. The dude's like pretty lit. I've seen pictures of Shippy like 13 feet in the air, and I'm like, what is that? Play basketball? No, it's during wrestling season. Best wrestler in the history of South River, and now he can also jump through the roof. So I mean, Shippy's backflip, we want to see that on Friday. We want to see that. Let's go see how it's trademarked.

SPEAKER_13:

All right, thanks everyone for joining us tonight. All the listeners, thank you. Good luck on good luck. That's all. We don't need it. Just go out there and play. I didn't bring it.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah. But I did get you a blue rally towel. So next time I come in, and I got you one too. So I have two for you guys. Okay. I can't wait to I'm gonna be swinging it. I know, I'll bring those in for you guys. I'm not gonna have it. Maybe, maybe Friday I'll bring it. Are you gonna be there, Friar? Yeah, I'm gonna be there Friday. Then you come down the fence and I'll give you your rally towel. Don't forget my rally towel. I gotta be doing that. I thought about that when they were handing them out. I grabbed two. I said, sorry, these are for the number one fans. You're now my favorite coach of all time. There you go. Coach Luffy told me to do it too. You're equal to that. He's my yin to the yanger. I love it.

SPEAKER_13:

So on that note, please don't hesitate to contact us through Instagram at SRHTalk. Subscribe to the show on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to the podcast. Leave us a rating on Apple and spread the word, Seahawk Nation. I'm your host, Tom Frank. I'm Grayson. This is the whole craziness, and we love it. Until next time, I leave you with a cheer with our South River team, go Seahawks. Go Seahawks.

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