Football Feature: Hillsboro Indians
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
Last season, many of the Hillsboro Indians had to learn how to play at the varsity level full-time on the go, as there wasn't much depth and time wasn't going to slow down.
Enter 2012 seniors Ethan Emery and Zach Brown. As juniors, they were a part of the learning curve the two-win Indians had to endure last season, but if you talk to them, you realize that all the lumps and bruises they took (and gave) in the 10-week '11 season not only made them stronger, but made them better football players for what is their final season in '12.
[[In-content Ad]]"Last year was a lot about learning because I was moved from guard to center, and it was a whole different thing for me," Emery said. "Coach (Spicer) said 'the best thing to do is just to know what you are doing and don't push yourself if you don't know what you are doing,' and I guess the best thing is to learn from the past. I got injured during the homecoming game last year and broke my foot. I look back on that, and that's why this year is even more important."
Brown also spoke about learning from what wasn't the greatest year in the standings, but one of learning how to become a varsity player.
"The past is the past, and you learn from each game. Each down is important to you … you play each play like it's your last because you are not guaranteed that next play or down," Brown said. "We've seen that lately, so nothing is guaranteed with this sport. Everyone has to love this sport to play it."
Both players battle, claw and scrape each game in the toughest area of any football game … in the trenches, where the objective is simple: you keep the opposing player off your teammates, or if on defense, you make sure you make the offensive’s life a total nightmare for four complete quarters.
"Playing center is a bit of a challenge because you are doing two different things at once," Emery said. "First, you are making the snap and making sure the snap is right, then you are getting up on your block as fast as possible. Once you get into the groove of it, it's really simple … there is a lot of repetition involved."
Brown spoke about being an offensive tackle.
"Playing offensive tackle, I don't see anything else like it, and with me playing weak side tackle, you have the quarterback's blind side," he said. "You have to protect his back, and he has to be able to trust you. You have to be able to trust those around you. You have to be mentally tough at the position and know what you are doing."
Though both players have found and earned their spot in the Indians' program, their start to playing the game and ending up on the game's offensive line for what will be two straight seasons was a tad bit different with Brown overcoming multiple leg injuries.
"Actually, I was playing baseball when I first heard about football in the fourth grade. A bunch of my friends were like 'Hey, Brown, why don't you come out and play with us?' I came out the first day, and none of the guys showed up but me, but my parents always raised me to not quit, so I finished it out. My sixth grade year, I tore my ACL, MCL and meniscus. I was out for three seasons, and that about killed me. I came back my sophomore year, and there is nothing like it."
Emery started a bit later than most but still had a passion for the game once he was out on the field.
"I never played any sports before my eighth grade year, and I got convinced by my friends saying 'you are a pretty good build, why don't you start playing football?' I gave it a try, and I have loved it," Emery said. "I gave track a try before and it was all right, but football is the top sport."
Both players are also looking forward to their final season with each having team goals in mind.
"I'm looking forward to the camaraderie and atmosphere we have this year," Brown said. "It feels like it did our freshman year. Of course, I didn't play my freshman year, but the attitude is the same. We are ready to come and ready to play to win games for Hillsboro."
"I want to go out with a bang," Emery said. "I want us to be explosive and just have a positive attitude with everything, and take it one game at a time and just have the good atmosphere, like Zach said."
Many players have traveled down memory lane this offseason, especially the seniors, and both Emery and Brown were no different when asked what their most memorable moments were as football players.
"One of my favorite memories was with Ethan in practice … 'Bubba' Butler came through the line, and we were like 'we aren't hitting Bubba,' so he was running the ball and Bubba just leveled him," Brown said with a laugh.
"Another one is last year at Madison-Plains, and Coach Spicer comes up to us after we just scored a touchdown and wants to know if we wanted to go for two, it was our call. We said all or nothing, and he said 'OK, you guys pick the play.' The veer was working each time, but we also pulled the guard to get the extra kick out and it played out perfectly because (Christian) Cundiff walked right into the end zone. We were like 'wow' … there is nothing like that. We don't get the glory like the running back and quarterbacks do when playing on the line, but it's not all about the glory."
Emery's favorite moment involved a senior hit day with a former Hillsboro offensive lineman.
"On freshman-senior hit day … most people might think it's crazy, but Chester Akers – he was the center my freshman year – chose me to be his hit that day," Emery said. "I was surprised because me being in the corner and not talking much … Well, he hit me and I felt it, but I feel like it was kind of a passing of the torch type of thing to me, and it kind of meant a lot."
As the offseason nears a close, each time the Indians break a huddle, they do so with an "Indian Pride" chant, and the seniors don't take that saying lightly.
"Indian pride means supporting your team no matter what. You go through the good and bad … if you go off last year, we are coming off a bad time, but we can't go anywhere but up," Brown said. "Indian pride … when you walk through the school or city, you see it. When it comes Friday night, you can see it, no matter what our record is. When you walk by the trophy case in the hallway at school, you see the pride and past of Hillsboro football, and that's what we want to do."
Emery didn't hesitate when describing Indian pride either.
"Whenever I hear 'Indian pride,' I get a positive attitude. With the positive attitude, it reflects on that because when you think positive … positive things are going to happen," Emery said. "This year, with us having a good atmosphere – we've had the bad times and reflected on that, we learned from it and this year, there is nowhere but up. All the support we get is amazing."
Indian pride also means leadership as they are now two of the senior leaders as the season nears.
"I want to take the responsibility of the team whether we do good or bad, but I also want the attitude of the team to reflect back on me. I want to lead this team through the bad and the good, but we are all leaders on this team, and we have to step up and accept the challenge presented to us," Brown said.
"If one of us goes down, the next person has to take out and keep it going. Just because you are a senior doesn't mean you can't do the small stuff, too. When we were freshmen, we had to carry the bags, but now we still help carry the bags … we are all doing it together, and we have a better attitude that way. The freshmen aren't scared to ask you questions that way. They are the future of this program, and we'll have to build off them eventually."
Emery equaled the statements of his teammate.
"I want the younger guys to look back on us and see how we lead, and so when they are seniors, they will know how to lead as well," he said. "When it comes to being a leader, you just don't lead by telling them what to do, you have to show, and we all lead need to by example.
"We just need all the support we can get. I know the community may not think we are going to be any good because of last year, but we just need the community to believe in us."
Enter 2012 seniors Ethan Emery and Zach Brown. As juniors, they were a part of the learning curve the two-win Indians had to endure last season, but if you talk to them, you realize that all the lumps and bruises they took (and gave) in the 10-week '11 season not only made them stronger, but made them better football players for what is their final season in '12.
[[In-content Ad]]"Last year was a lot about learning because I was moved from guard to center, and it was a whole different thing for me," Emery said. "Coach (Spicer) said 'the best thing to do is just to know what you are doing and don't push yourself if you don't know what you are doing,' and I guess the best thing is to learn from the past. I got injured during the homecoming game last year and broke my foot. I look back on that, and that's why this year is even more important."
Brown also spoke about learning from what wasn't the greatest year in the standings, but one of learning how to become a varsity player.
"The past is the past, and you learn from each game. Each down is important to you … you play each play like it's your last because you are not guaranteed that next play or down," Brown said. "We've seen that lately, so nothing is guaranteed with this sport. Everyone has to love this sport to play it."
Both players battle, claw and scrape each game in the toughest area of any football game … in the trenches, where the objective is simple: you keep the opposing player off your teammates, or if on defense, you make sure you make the offensive’s life a total nightmare for four complete quarters.
"Playing center is a bit of a challenge because you are doing two different things at once," Emery said. "First, you are making the snap and making sure the snap is right, then you are getting up on your block as fast as possible. Once you get into the groove of it, it's really simple … there is a lot of repetition involved."
Brown spoke about being an offensive tackle.
"Playing offensive tackle, I don't see anything else like it, and with me playing weak side tackle, you have the quarterback's blind side," he said. "You have to protect his back, and he has to be able to trust you. You have to be able to trust those around you. You have to be mentally tough at the position and know what you are doing."
Though both players have found and earned their spot in the Indians' program, their start to playing the game and ending up on the game's offensive line for what will be two straight seasons was a tad bit different with Brown overcoming multiple leg injuries.
"Actually, I was playing baseball when I first heard about football in the fourth grade. A bunch of my friends were like 'Hey, Brown, why don't you come out and play with us?' I came out the first day, and none of the guys showed up but me, but my parents always raised me to not quit, so I finished it out. My sixth grade year, I tore my ACL, MCL and meniscus. I was out for three seasons, and that about killed me. I came back my sophomore year, and there is nothing like it."
Emery started a bit later than most but still had a passion for the game once he was out on the field.
"I never played any sports before my eighth grade year, and I got convinced by my friends saying 'you are a pretty good build, why don't you start playing football?' I gave it a try, and I have loved it," Emery said. "I gave track a try before and it was all right, but football is the top sport."
Both players are also looking forward to their final season with each having team goals in mind.
"I'm looking forward to the camaraderie and atmosphere we have this year," Brown said. "It feels like it did our freshman year. Of course, I didn't play my freshman year, but the attitude is the same. We are ready to come and ready to play to win games for Hillsboro."
"I want to go out with a bang," Emery said. "I want us to be explosive and just have a positive attitude with everything, and take it one game at a time and just have the good atmosphere, like Zach said."
Many players have traveled down memory lane this offseason, especially the seniors, and both Emery and Brown were no different when asked what their most memorable moments were as football players.
"One of my favorite memories was with Ethan in practice … 'Bubba' Butler came through the line, and we were like 'we aren't hitting Bubba,' so he was running the ball and Bubba just leveled him," Brown said with a laugh.
"Another one is last year at Madison-Plains, and Coach Spicer comes up to us after we just scored a touchdown and wants to know if we wanted to go for two, it was our call. We said all or nothing, and he said 'OK, you guys pick the play.' The veer was working each time, but we also pulled the guard to get the extra kick out and it played out perfectly because (Christian) Cundiff walked right into the end zone. We were like 'wow' … there is nothing like that. We don't get the glory like the running back and quarterbacks do when playing on the line, but it's not all about the glory."
Emery's favorite moment involved a senior hit day with a former Hillsboro offensive lineman.
"On freshman-senior hit day … most people might think it's crazy, but Chester Akers – he was the center my freshman year – chose me to be his hit that day," Emery said. "I was surprised because me being in the corner and not talking much … Well, he hit me and I felt it, but I feel like it was kind of a passing of the torch type of thing to me, and it kind of meant a lot."
As the offseason nears a close, each time the Indians break a huddle, they do so with an "Indian Pride" chant, and the seniors don't take that saying lightly.
"Indian pride means supporting your team no matter what. You go through the good and bad … if you go off last year, we are coming off a bad time, but we can't go anywhere but up," Brown said. "Indian pride … when you walk through the school or city, you see it. When it comes Friday night, you can see it, no matter what our record is. When you walk by the trophy case in the hallway at school, you see the pride and past of Hillsboro football, and that's what we want to do."
Emery didn't hesitate when describing Indian pride either.
"Whenever I hear 'Indian pride,' I get a positive attitude. With the positive attitude, it reflects on that because when you think positive … positive things are going to happen," Emery said. "This year, with us having a good atmosphere – we've had the bad times and reflected on that, we learned from it and this year, there is nowhere but up. All the support we get is amazing."
Indian pride also means leadership as they are now two of the senior leaders as the season nears.
"I want to take the responsibility of the team whether we do good or bad, but I also want the attitude of the team to reflect back on me. I want to lead this team through the bad and the good, but we are all leaders on this team, and we have to step up and accept the challenge presented to us," Brown said.
"If one of us goes down, the next person has to take out and keep it going. Just because you are a senior doesn't mean you can't do the small stuff, too. When we were freshmen, we had to carry the bags, but now we still help carry the bags … we are all doing it together, and we have a better attitude that way. The freshmen aren't scared to ask you questions that way. They are the future of this program, and we'll have to build off them eventually."
Emery equaled the statements of his teammate.
"I want the younger guys to look back on us and see how we lead, and so when they are seniors, they will know how to lead as well," he said. "When it comes to being a leader, you just don't lead by telling them what to do, you have to show, and we all lead need to by example.
"We just need all the support we can get. I know the community may not think we are going to be any good because of last year, but we just need the community to believe in us."