Editor:
On an unusually warm Saturday afternoon in mid-November, a crowd of diverse races and ethnicities grew to overflowing numbers on the grounds of Danville High School to watch their Vikings play in the quarterfinals of the IHSA state 6A football playoffs.
From inside the crowd and from outside, it was obvious that differences were checked at the gate. What did the Lemont Indians and their fans witness from across the field?
When asked about how the Danville fans sounded from his perch atop the visiting stands, Danville graduate Jeff Clem said, “It sounded beautiful. When the crowd erupted, it was just beautiful.”
One week earlier, in Oak Lawn, the Danville fans may have outnumbered the home fans. At a minimum, there were many more Danville fans than the visiting stands could hold. We were loud then, but the sheer numbers brought the energy to a whole new level this week.
For a second week in a row, it was also “beautiful” to watch the Viking players take a post-game walk along the front of their fans to acknowledge mutual appreciation. Obviously, it helps that both weeks ended with Viking victories. It was 30-20 over Oak Lawn Richards. Then it was 18-14 over the Lemont Indians.
Another foe is set to arrive in Danville on Saturday for the semi-finals. Who knows if the weather will hold? If you are planning on coming to this game against New Lennox Providence Catholic, however, expect to experience more “beautiful” noise.
Bill Nohmer
Tilton
