As January cools everyone down, the 6th annual MaxPreps Football Tour of Champions presented by the Army National Guard is just heating up. The weather presented a beautiful day in suburban Kansas City as the tour returned to the "Show Me State." Pulling up to the
Rockhurst (Kansas City, Mo.) campus, one must think that the high school looks more like a small college with its state of the art facilities. Walking into the athletic wing was like walking into a trophy store. Even with all the accomplishments of the past, the trophy case desired the "Minuteman." Just by walking into the gym one can simply look up at the banners and sense that this is hallowed ground. The Hawklets added to their tradition this year once again with a state championship and #18 ranking nationwide out of 15,000 teams in the MaxPreps Freeman rankings.
The afternoon was just beginning as legendary Head Coach Tony Severino explained the sincere gratitude and respect he had for the Army National Guard while talking to Sergeant Ferguson and Sergeant Sloan of the Missouri Army National Guard in his office. He explained how his 2010 team was able to achieve a perfect record of 14-0 and what a thrill it is to play in, and win a state championship. After spending much of the afternoon in Coach Severino's office it was time for the pep rally. As the kids filed in, countless chants were yelled by the elder statesmen of Rockhurst High School. A skit was put on by some of the students who were impersonating their favorite teachers, which inspired the crowd even more. As the skit ended, Sergeant Sloan carried the prestigious Army National Guard national ranking trophy onto the floor as chants of "U-S-A," were screamed by the student body. Sergeant Sloan spoke about how proud the football players should be about their achievement. He also mentioned how the leadership, teamwork and perseverance that the players showcased all year holds the same values as the Army National Guard. Sergeant Sloan then passed the trophy, an actual Minuteman, over to Coach Severino. The iconic coach spoke about how proud he was of all his players and how the Army National Guard is a great symbol of our nation. After Coach Severino finished speaking, the crowd had become deafening. Afterwards, pictures were taken in the side gym as Rockhurst had to get ready for an important basketball game that night. One player said he "had the time of his life with this special group," and that "he would never forget this moment." Congratulations to Rockhurst High School on a stellar 2010 season!
