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High School Football Preview Fall 2013 x /\ 1 Ik ' i il W PHIL MOSIER Cross Keys High School’s varsity football team hit the field for practice on Aug. 14 in Brookhaven. Players taking a water break, front, left to right, Dominique Wilson and Patrick Huff. Back, Alexander Ramonov, Oluwatomi Adedayo and Daniel Raygoza. The team is lead by head coach David Radford. The Indians look to improve on last year’s 0-9-0 record. High school football has fans of all ages BY MELISSA WEINMAN melissaweinman@reporternewspapers.net Barbara Moore just might be the No. 1 fan of the Chamblee Charter High School football Bulldogs. A long-time volunteer at the high school, the 75-year-old Moore, known as “grandma,” is a fixture around the Chamblee football program. “I go to every game,” Moore said, ad mitting, “I’m kind of loud in the stands.” But her devotion to the team goes deeper than just regular game atten dance - she buys treats for the players who do well, sometimes rides the bus with the team to away games, and gives pep talks. “I have been known to go into the locker room after ward,” Moore said. “They know to block, because if they haven’t been blocking, I’ll fuss at ‘em.” Go to any high school foot ball stadium during a game and you’ll likely feel the un mistakable energy of teenag ers crammed into the stands with their friends, clapping and cheering for their classmates on the field. But for many adults, the joy of Friday night football is just as sweet. “It’s a great pleasure to sit in the stands with family and friends,” said Steven Scales, a Dunwoody High School Wildcats fan. “Friday night is a great opportunity for fellowship, to end the work week on a great note, to be with friends, and watch your children play after they’ve put in so much time to PHIL MOSIER Long-time volunteer and ardent Chamblee football Bulldogs fan Barbara Moore, right, gives Perry Moss some bone-shaped “Scooby-Doo cookies” to deliver to the football players. be able to play on Friday night.” Around metro Atlanta, there are fans just as devoted to their high school teams as any NFL fan is to his or her pro players. High school football may not have all the fanfare of the game at the college or professional level, but many say that’s why they like it. “It’s more than just football. It’s more than the enjoyment of the game. It’s knowing the kids, and knowing how proud they are of themselves and how proud their parents are,” said Bart Mill- SEE RIVALRIES BRING, PAGE 20 Page 20 Senior football players tell Reporter Newspapers what they want to take away from their final season on the field. 18 | AUG. 23 — SEPT. 5,2013 | www.ReporterNewspapers.net
