Watching a freshman football game is like trying to keep track of fish in an aquarium. For five games now this season, I’ve watched the players run up, down, backward, forward, hither and yon on a 120 x 531/3 square-yard piece of grass, thrilled when they made a play and wondering why I kept forgetting the roster.
“Who was that kid?” I’d ask to anyone sitting around me. As there are close to 60 players who dress out for every St. Louis U. High freshman game, it’s hard to know.
But now we know. Five games into the season, it’s pretty clear who the SLUH skill players are. And this time, I remembered the roster.
So as I was walking into Chaminade’s football stadium, I saw No. 32 cutting through defenders and running the opening kickoff back to about the Chaminade 30. I arrived just in time to reach for the roster.
Who was that kid?
My roster told me it was Andre Colvin (above), a 5-11, 173-pound running back. I’d be looking down on my roster sheet for No. 32 a lot that afternoon as Colvin was all over the field, doing his best Stephen Jackson impersonation and helping SLUH take a commanding lead before the first half. I have a feeling I’m going to be watching Andre Colvin a lot in the next four years.
Other numbers that had me reaching for the roster during this Sept. 30 game on a gorgeous early fall afternoon:
No. 13, Andrew Hunt, the quarterback (right) who orchestrated the SLUH attack, making completions and hand-offs deftly all afternoon.
No. 89, Hunter Schmidt (below left), scoring two touchdowns at wide receiver, including a short pass he caught then ran about 70 yards for a touchdown.
No. 22 Bryan Edwards, getting the ball when Colvin got a rest.
And No. 68 Ryan Abeln (below right) making all the extra points and polishing his punting and kickoffs.
After awhile, I didn’t need to reach for the roster anymore.
And just when I had these numbers memorized, in comes the second and third teams.
By the fourth quarter, the paper was getting dog-eared, but that’s a good thing. A few minutes in, No. 18 made a key interception killing a Chaminade drive. The roster said that it was Walker Basham. Family and friends in the bleachers were cheering so loud I didn’t need the consult.
Other fourth quarter gems:
No. 35 Arthur Larson caught a ball at fullback and drove for a first down.
No. 82 Ben Keeven came up with a couple more fourth-quarter receptions.
And then this: The one play of the entire game in which I didn’t need the roster. My 15, doing his job on the kickoff returns.
I saw him out there once, making a block after Chaminade’s lone touchdown in the first quarter. I wouldn’t see him again.
A quiet car ride after the game? Not a chance. He was excited and talkative, pumped up about his two plays.
“Did you see that block I made for Andre on the opening kickoff?” he said excitedly on the way home.
That was you?
“Yep.”
And then, “I can’t believe we have only three games left.”
Three games is a long time when time is measured in 10-yard increments. I’m hoping things go so well the rest of the season, the roster gets dog-eared.
Like these pictures? View more SLUH freshman football from photographer Nancy Winkelmann at nancywinkelmann.zenfolio.com/freshmanpix.
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