Carefully placed white cups in a chain link fence
spelled out "Raiderville" at the west end of Fred
Carlton Field.
Justin Harrison knows all about being a Raider in
Raiderville.
He relishes it as much as anyone who has worn a
Bloomington High School football uniform, saying
proudly, "I love this town."
The senior fullback/linebacker was the toast of it
Saturday following an 18-6 Class 6A playoff victory over
rival Normal Community.
"Good job, Justin!" a voice yelled from behind the
north stands.
Harrison waved.
"Justin Harrison, you rock!" shouted a passenger in a
car on Locust Street.
Harrison gave a thumbs up.
Yep. Right at home.
But it wasn't always this way for Harrison, who
scored all three BHS touchdowns Saturday.
Four years ago, he was the new kid in Raiderville,
having just moved in from Belleville.
There was talk of tradition and talent and
championships. Most of the players on the 2000 freshman
team grew up absorbing it all, longing to become ...
well, a Raider.
Harrison?
"When I was small, I never knew where Bloomington
was," he said.
Quick study
Harrison figured he would be at Belleville Althoff,
or perhaps Bellevile West.
This Bloomington thing was a bit confusing.
But not for long.
"It took me two weeks to learn what Bloomington
football was all about," he said.
"My second game at Bloomington, I lost 8-6 to Normal
Community on this field. I promised myself I would never
do it again."
So if Harrison seemed as though he was everywhere
Saturday -- and he was -- it was because his motor had
been revving for much longer than the week BHS had to
prepare for its quarterfinal showdown with NCHS.
In addition to the speed, strength and savvy which
have him headed for the University of Illinois, Harrison
has a blue-chip memory as well.
"It was just a lot of confusion ... a lot of fumbles
and turnovers," he said of that 2000 freshman game. "We
just didn't come to play that day. We knew today was not
going to be like that."
Harrison made an impact early before an overflow
crowd of more than 3,200, returning a blocked punt for a
touchdown midway through the first quarter.
Complete effort
The 5-foot-10, 205-pounder scooped up a fumble on the
opening play of the second half and returned it to the
Normal Community 13-yard line, setting up his own 2-yard
touchdown run.
He also bulled in for a 4-yard TD with 56.7 seconds
remaining, capping a clinching 69-yard, five-play drive.
Add in his eight tackles on defense, and Harrison
could have been elected mayor of Raiderville, a week
after contributing 21 tackles, 129 yards rushing and
three touchdowns to a 19-14 victory over Rock Island.
"This is a great feeling," he said. "This was my
first chance to get that payback from freshman year. The
seniors really wanted this.
"They (the Ironmen) talked about getting their
revenge from earlier this year (a 24-20 BHS win). We've
been waiting on this revenge for four years."
Illinois can't wait to get Harrison, who committed to
the Illini in August and will sign a national letter of
intent in February.
He is projected to play strong safety in Champaign,
and vowed to "try to help that team just as much as I
help this team."
Dan O'Dell, an assistant coach for the 1-10 Illini,
watched Saturday's game. He was last seen smiling all
the way to the parking lot.
"I talked to him yesterday and he said he was
coming," Harrison said. "I told him I had something to
show him. I think I came out and played pretty well for
him."
And, of course, for the citizens of Raiderville.
Randy Kindred is a Pantagraph columnist. To leave him
a voice mail, call 829-9411, extension 402. By e-mail:
rkindred@pantagraph.com.
