Linebacker Will Haase put on a show chasing Mt. Pleasant quarterbacks for the more than 700 people who showed up for Derry's alumni football game against the Vikings.
So it wasn't a surprise he couldn't resist stepping out for a curtain call after he was named the Trojans' defensive most valuable player in the 23-0 Derry victory.
"It's always good to come out here, and especially being a good fundraiser, you've got to have fun with it," Haase, a 2006 Derry graduate, said. "There's a whole lot of kids out here — little ones — and you have to put on a show for them."
Teams in several communities have renewed rivalries and become reacquainted with old friends thanks to the promotional firm Alumni USA. Players were mostly contacted through social networking websites like Facebook, and the teams held several organized practices to prepare for the game.
Both teams used a vanilla playbook, but most of those schemes came right out of their high school years. Those watching were familiar with the teams' offensive and defensive looks.
Though the fans in the stands may have picked up on the basis of what the two teams were doing, Derry certainly got the better of its old Keystone Conference foe on the field. The Trojans held Mt. Pleasant to 47 yards of total offense and did not allow the Vikings past the Derry 35.
For Derry, it was an immeasurable thrill for those who played through some very lean years. Over the past 10 seasons, the Trojans have an overall record of 22-74 (.229) including an 18-44 mark in conference play. In that time, Derry has finished .500 once — when it went 5-5 in 2008 — and has not had a winning record in conference play.
The last time Derry finished over .500 was in 2000, when it went 6-4 overall and 4-2 in the Keystone Conference. Only eight of the players on the Trojans alumni team were even in school at that time.
"It felt amazing," Haase said. "A lot of us guys, back when we were in school, didn't know what it was like to win. So to come out here and put a nice show on and get a 'W' was pretty nice."
While Haase spent his time chasing the quarterback, 2009 alumnus Josh Hemminger ran away from the Mt. Pleasant defense. Hemminger, the Derry offensive MVP, carried 13 times for 83 yards and scored the game's first touchdown on a 6-yard run with 2:07 remaining in the first quarter.
"There was a lot of momentum built up," Hemminger said. "There was a lot of trash-talking going on, but not much from Mt. Pleasant. Coming in here and shutting them out, you couldn't ask for anything else."
That is unless the two teams make it an annual event. Still, the players are willing to let this one sink in a bit before talking next year.
"I never thought this was going to happen," Hemminger said. "I didn't play college ball, so this is a dream come true."
Additional Information:
Game summary
DERRY 23, MT. PLEASANT 0
Score by quarters
Derry 7-6-0-10?23
Mt. Pleasant 0-0-0-0?0
D: Josh Hemminger 6 run (B.J. Mikeska kick)
D: Cory Elliott 35 pas from Mike Kelly (kick failed)
D: Mikeska 30 FG
D: Ryan Hauser 35 pass from Kelly (Mikeska kick)
Individual leaders
Rushing
D: Josh Hemminger 13-83, Justin Hill 7-34, Gary Manges 3-11, B.J. Mikeska 2-14, Nick Baum 2-3, Anthony Baum 1-3, Dominick Oliver 1-8, Mike Kelly 5-31, Cory Elliott 1-6,
Will Haase 1-9; MP: Jeffery Marker 11-minus-5, John Burkus 6-23, Michael Predaina 1-minus-1, James Stefancic 1-0, Ty Gorinski 1-3, Tim Ferree 1-2, Eric Wagner 5-19.
Passing
D: Mike Kelly 5-10-1 66 yards; MP: Jeffery Marker 1-6-1 8 yards, Eric Wagner 1-2-0 minus-2.
Receiving
D: Cory Elliott 1-35, Jeremy Greenawalt 2-7, Josh Hemminger 1-6, Ryan Hauser 1-18; MP: Eric Wagner 1-8, Eric Holesapple 1-minus-2.
