The Dover New Phila football game is a pretty neat thing to be part of and I am one of the minority of people who has been on both sides of this special rivalry. Many many years ago I was an undersized but determined offensive lineman for Dover who came to love and embrace the tradition of Dover football and like most of my teammates, I left everything I had on the field at Crater Stadium. I have many fond memories wearing the Crimson and Gray including playing and winning in two games versus our hated rival from across the river. Though the memories fade and there is always a tendency to believe that your team was better than they actually were, I would still have to say that the 1979 Dover Tornado football team remains one of the finest in school history. Several years after my own playing days I found myself in the position of being a parent of a New Philadelphia Quaker football player. Though admittedly awkward initially, I came to embrace Quaker football and their traditions as well and very much enjoyed watching my son during his playing days at NPHS and myself came to despise that rival from across the river at least for one night. In my son Dereks final game as a NPHS senior an outstanding 9 and 0 season was ruined when the Quakers star tailback broke his leg early on in the game and the team never recovered and Dover prevailed yet again. I recall embracing my son after that bitter defeat, both shedding a tear and telling him it was just a game and it would be alright. Though it is just a game for those of us who have been a part of it, it has become a bit more than that. Good luck to both teams tonight. I will be rooting for the Quakers and perhaps maybe they can get a win tonight and at least for the moment stem the tide of this Tornado dominance.
Posted on: Fri, 01 Nov 2013 17:17:14 +0000
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