Lumberjacks draw crowd, but not a 'W'
SEMI-PRO FOOTBALL
Thanksgiving games of touch-football and living vicariously through the men wearing Vikings' purple can no longer be considered reliving the glory days for former Brainerd area football players.
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The Brainerd Lumberjacks elevated the standard with Saturday's smash-mouthed gridiron battle that resulted in a 27-23 loss to the Detroit Lakes Screaming Eagles.
Led by quarterback Karson Pike, the Lumberjacks pounded out 330 offensive yards before an electrified crowd of nearly 700 fans at Harvey Shew Field.
Ben Baratto of the Brainerd Lumberjacks ran past defenders Saturday during the team's debut against the Detroit Lakes Screaming Eagles.
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"It was a good start for the first time playing together as a team," Pike said. "We only lost by four and had plenty of opportunities."
The Lumberjacks' struggled early during the inaugural game, but chewed up 68 yards on 11 plays resulting in a 16-yard touchdown pass from Pike to Luke Nelson.
"It was our first game, I was proud of us," Lumberjacks coach JJ Kern said. "I think they (the Screaming Eagles) played pretty good football, too. It was a good quality football game."
For some players it was the first time suiting up for full-contact football. For others it was a return to the field since the completion of their high school or collegiate careers.
"(2005) was the last time I played contact football," Pike said, "so I had to knock the rust off a little bit."
Hundreds of fans gathered at Harvey Shew Field at the Franklin Arts Center to cheer on the Brainerd Lumberjacks in their first game.
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Pike, a former Central Lakes College player, was joined by other Brainerd area products like the Foy brothers - Mike, Chris and Matt.
All three brothers played defensive end for the Brainerd Warriors, but this is the first time all three have gotten a chance to play together.
"It's something we've always talked about," Chris Foy said in regards to lining up along side one another. In their first game together, the Foy brothers were impressive bolstering the defense and limiting the Screaming Eagles to fewer than 250 yards of total offense.
The fact that key players like Pike, Matt and Mike Foy haven't played full contact for several years may lead some to believe semi-pro football is nothing more than a mish-mashed group of former players trying to relive their glory days.
"A lot of people don't know what semi-pro is," Kern said. "A lot of people think it's just a bunch of old guys running around."
That misconception was quickly stomped out as the intensity and talent matched that of many college games.
"We definitely are taking this as a serious sport and not just a hobby," Mike Foy said. "We're playing to win and we're playing good. We're playing for the fans, too. It was an excellent showing."
Despite the rain and cold temperatures, the back-and-forth battle captivated the crowd until the final game-decisive drive that swelled the excitement and anticipation. Spectators left with a buzz of excitement and an understanding that these men are not grasping to relive the glory days, but that for some the glory days don't have to end.
"It feels like a high school rivalry," Chris Foy said. "You have that old school rivalry and it almost seemed like that, and it was just the first game we played. There's going to be a lot to come."