JFIFC    $ &%# #"(-90(*6+"#2D26;=@@@&0FKE>J9?@=C  =)#)==================================================" }!1AQa"q2#BR$3br %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz w!1AQaq"2B #3Rbr $4%&'()*56789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz ?Vz̟C匉nu5XJ1'Y!DI{m[x?ƒnss.#|tá9R@ ]f7ͽJ+~jx[##a> uc=VKk1eT&\q⇆tf@[ĶB)T3ҹ/wL!B0 -8(ٛ9^?>8/^ ihDPUx$+QUL+J]7o/)"F=\Լ?,dr1 "3;˿jkgfQ74Ԛ(~ ZA˾xX.W؎y?YKaZL du{P,QQ* *[vGZ4Q?#]ǂܵGψXzVEe*x[l5@'hkf鸽=QI=;J4/2Gr^-𾥮g;YV0"6T#9wA?Zc1s~s.4-yyF3ɮwz_$6.!?y}EQW 6bsrHDNA*paQ3PIj5!" ēW/, ne* QvO gZ Vg;I&\gt(((((+k+Ia%1Bt#g,p$V ܌ 톭-?x> +><zOd=iK#k46~uʼbĺ>m܀Nv~{=gmżr_B|,×?JJ2obmXfi*᣶[y'i[׶$H]t[r2/=0;U<vw :DF:TbQZ!sY6J5xE{g5j[%@+8[;9t"dx^ss\Ӽ)c f>MuQ/ҳ.i6\Ր(W5 b{Ռ#*<aי|o +0F7c VWRYܖ'=IQӜlu|zxϰH.P yz 0ǭX{'\ᕀ zc:ӣPĂ@q@v) tnk4p-TB?'a֘ P3Q@) \9t("NI48jshzw0H3`<YK /<#\ZeWeY":Qk-vd*N3WD׺JgdzT7h-{Qz&Q[Ivg\@HZ}ɶ]uڞ.R+qr}Ah+mzV[J B&{ cٌ;m;xRam[۩UCr~kÄn*3¶Oz;vT~a҅8 SmXh]?Fѐy8rTl'Qףsҵh58/&XGlGN+K{k|/o*&kb|0JiZ4mV-?JdM(!kH'OFSZ IyaS(l?PI#Hg `%+Eh,G4S`BsN8ݏm'𫖶,׵a0[qsVVUIvsݘ#ζR1Ro$J[@ 8$ 0B`_|WTHrzyz1{E?\Rv A \X tsKǕOg]\A`1VE%`Mqrjy77RSκ%$I,H0qҶdY\E.Z\($pkc7Qx'͏1Ͽ?ֵ^oo\rF·2RNZOa2 ܶq6K~8k,[ .lbLKcՏUuk=XwLK#rMS${WZi.Wbn##f6nokD.h~*UBU&u g'dI-)K:\ O""{ҺߊhFkYzԯ]X?ݻ╓ 9nM4y)Vҥ-zi]Mn¯+AUBpxZPNh; eG$daˎPάA U@#߽[ANVߓ#VM+"[=hv33H#wNz@mҬ#cTREǏJHmIv\0c$F$GTabH yHbR=(hX ْTf';)@XX7l}Z+%׎ \}q$ߏT䳒s#E+.WTGjlc3k$6&tS(ne ~Qd+UE, WghMKb~Χ Five games later we found ourselves entering district play with a 6-1 record. Our district pitted us against three more excellent football teams: Stewartsville, Miami of Amoret, and South West Livingston County. We routed all three by a combined score of 194-24, giving us a regular season record of 9-1 and both conference and district titles. Next we were scheduled to play the Mound City Panthers in the playoffs at Mound City. <br>The Panthers jumped out to an early 14-0 lead in the first quarter, but we were never discouraged and evened the score by halftime. The seesaw score continued, and with only 1:18 left in the game, we were behind 32-28 and on our own 15-yard line. Our offense methodically moved the ball to the 25-yard with 30 seconds to go, but we faced a fourth-and-four situation. Fortunately, a 7-yard reception by Caleb Champ kept our hopes alive, and three plays later we were in the end zone and headed to the state championship game against undefeated King City.<br>The Prize!<br><br>At the big game we scored first on a 60-yard touchdown bomb from quarterback John Weitlich to Josh Lane, and we continued playing well, enjoying a 14-12 lead going into halftime. King City wasn't about to give up, and took a two-touchdown lead heading into the fourth quarter. Just like the week before, nobody panicked. Through months of lifting we knew we could accomplish anything with our best effort. We chipped away at their lead and the defense kept them scoreless the rest of the way through the fourth quarter. With just 38 seconds remaining we put the ball into the end zone one more time and secured our victory 10-26-DeKalb's first state championship in school history!<br>The feeling gained from such a victory is indescribable. This was what we had been hoping, praying and working for all year. We worked so hard to get there, putting in countless hours in the weight room and dedicating ourselves to practice. This is the biggest accomplishment of our lives thus far. We will never forget what happened out on that field. It is a memory that will last a lifetime. -- the only thing the opposing team could produce in that championship game was minus 77 yards! I also coached track, and 11 of our guys could throw the discus between 140 and 180 feet. If you couldn't throw 155 feet, you were a JV guy; to this day I don't believe any high school has ever been able to say