The 7th Annual MaxPreps Football Tour of Champions presented by the Army National Guard visited Music City on Tuesday, February 7, 2012 to recognize the two-time state champion Ensworth High School football team in Nashville, TN. Ensworth finished No. 12 nationally with a record of 12-1, out of more than 16,000 high school varsity football teams, according to the MaxPreps Freeman poll.
The award presentation was set to occur between the girl's and the boy's varsity basketball games at Ensworth High School. Sergeant First Class David Christianson and Private First Class Brooke Yaiser from the Tennessee Army National Guard set up a display table in the gym lobby with the prestigious Army National Guard national ranking trophy (a Minuteman) proudly on display for all guests to see. They also handed out commemorative Tour of Champions t-shirts to the football team members so they could wear them that evening. There was a big crowd attending, along with media personality Ron Johnson from ABC affiliate WKRN- TV Channel 2 in Nashville, who was there to cover the Tour of Champions ceremony.
When the girls' game ended, the football team members were asked to come to center court. Then MaxPreps representative, Greg Rains, was introduced and took the microphone and shared how MaxPreps determines the team rankings for the Tour of Champions. Greg also reminded the audience of the tremendous accomplishments of the Ensworth football team and Head Coach Ricky Bowers. Greg introduced SFC David Christianson to a rousing ovation, as he congratulated the team on their great season. Coach Bowers could not be present for the presentation because of other responsibilities, including also being the head boys' basketball coach at Ensworth as well. In Coach Bowers' absence, SFC Christianson asked the seniors who were there to come forward to accept the trophy. The crowd cheered as the boys hoisted the trophy into the air and posed with the Tour of Champions Championship Banner proudly displayed. As the football team members made their way back to the stands, SFC Christianson and PFC Yaiser followed them to throw more Tour of Champion t-shirts into a frenzy of excited students that made up "the student section."
This was the Ensworth football team's second year receiving this prestigious award in only their 4th year in existence as a school. Coach Bowers, his staff, and the players have surely set the bar high for future student athletes who will attend this fine school.
