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Sunday,
December 1, 2002
Bryan Bloodworth -- Injuries
shatter dreams of playing in state final
Having the opportunity to play for a state championship in
any sport is what high school athletes dream about.
It's why they work so hard in the offseason in the weight room and why
they endure those grueling two-a-day practice sessions in the preseason.
"We've been talking about playing in the state championship game
since we were in seventh grade," said Bloomington High School
football standout Chad Olson.
The Purple Raiders realized that goal Saturday when they faced Chicago
Mount Carmel in the Class 6A title game.
Saturday was to have been Olson's day to shine in the sun. It was to
have been his opportunity to bask in the glory of playing at Memorial
Stadium on the University of Illinois campus in the final game of his
high school career.
Unfortunately, the story-book ending never happened for Olson,
teammate Dan Cotton or El Paso's Jesse Smith. They all suffered
season-ending injuries prior to their team's state championship games.
Olson's career came to jarring halt three weeks ago when he suffered a
broken collarbone in BHS' second-round playoff victory over Springfield
Southeast. A dislocated shoulder sent Cotton to the sidelines late in the
regular season.
Smith, the standout quarterback at El Paso, suffered a broken arm in
last week's semifinal victory over Cerro Gordo.
"To get this far and not to be able to play in the championship
game is tough," said Smith prior to El Paso's game against South
Beloit for the Class 1A state championship. "It's not much fun being
on the sidelines with my arm in a cast."
Both bones in Smith's forearm were broken when he tried to elude a
tackler. He had surgery following the game and two plates inserted in his
arm.
"As soon as I saw my arm laying on the ground, I knew it was
broken," said Smith. "I guess I went into shock because I
didn't feel any pain. I couldn't feel anything.
"It hurts more not being able to play, but we still had a great
season and I was a big part of it."
Unlike Smith, Olson was able to dress for BHS' title tilt against
Mount Carmel although he knew he wouldn't be able to play.
"The last three weeks have been really tough," said Olson.
"Then to see us struggle today, made me feel even worse. It was a
helpless feeling.
"You don't know how many times I had the urge to put myself in
and run on the field. I guess I felt my presence on the field would help
them."
Olson said it was the worst feeling in the world when he was told his
season was finished three weeks ago.
"The only positive thing I could think of was that I was glad it
wasn't a more serious injury," said Olson, who was able to
participate in the pregame coin toss at midfield.
"Walking out on the field with the rest of the captains meant a
lot to me," added Olson, who was one of the few two-way starters for
BHS this season.
"He has to be one of the best defensive backs I've ever been
associated with," said BHS coach Rigo Schmelzer. "And he was
our leading receiver when he got hurt. He also was our kickoff man and
one of our two return players. The only thing he wasn't on was the punt
team."
Olson was a three-year starter and three-year Big 12 West Conference
selection.
"We expected great things and got great things out of Chad,"
said Schmelzer. "Obviously, he's not the biggest kid (5-foot-8, 145
pounds) out there, but he has a great head for the game.
"We could tell he was going to be a good football player, but you
couldn't tell that he was going to be such a dominating figure in our
program.
"He's a classic example of size doesn't matter as long as the
heart is there. Chad is fearless. He would do things that you would
expect a bigger kid to do because of fear of contact."
Olson also served as one of BHS' captains, an honor Schmelzer believed
was very deserving.
"That says a lot about any young person when the team singles you
out and recognizes your leadership abilities," added Schmelzer.
"Chad has been a great leader and he's just a great kid to be
around. That's what makes it so tough to see him on the sidelines now.
The same thing is true of Dan Cotton. Both of them have maintained very
positive attitudes through all of this and keep supporting the team.
"We haven't expected them to be at every practice or meeting, but
I would say they have been to 80 percent of them. The ones they've missed
were because of school work or doctor's appointments.
"The tough thing is they have been a part of this program for
four years and helped us get to this point. And now they can't step foot
on the turf."
Bryan Bloodworth is the sports editor of The Pantagraph. He can be
reached via email at bbloodworth@pantagraph.com
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