OAKLAND â The Messalonskee High School band played the famous âChargeâ refrain. Da da da da de da!
On the Messalonksee sideline, Trevor Perry raised his right arm, pumped his fist, and joined the crowd in a hearty cheer.
We met Trevor 10 years ago, shortly after he scored one of the most thrilling and important touchdowns in Waterville Junior High School football history. Trevor, who has Down Syndrome, was the Waterville team manager, but at the end of each practice, the coaches would let him run one play, I Right Toss 31.
When the Panthers played Winslow in their 2002 season finale, Trevor got to suit up and served as a captain for the pre-game coin toss. With the game well in Winslowâs favor in the fourth quarter, the coaches from both sides set in motion a plan they discussed prior to kickoff. Trevor went into the game, and his play, I Right Toss 31, was called.
One long touchdown run later, and Trevorâs love of everything football was hard-wired into his soul.
Trevor has since traded in his Waterville purple for Messalonskee red, white and blue. The back of his Messalonskee football T-shirt reads âCoach Trevor.â During games, Trevor helps make sure the players stay behind the white line, a few yards off the sideline. He helps with water, too, but mainly, Trevorâs job is to keep the team as excited about the game as he is.
âI donât think heâs ever missed a football game since I was in kingergarten. Heâs always been there, right on the sidelines,â said Corey McKenzie, Trevorâs brother and Messalonskeeâs leading rusher. âWhen my dad coached a team down in rec (league), he would always help out there. Heâd come right out on the field and help out.â
On Wednesday nights, the Eagles have a team dinner. Each week, Trevor says a few words of inspiration to help prepare the team for the next game.
âI make sure the team is proud to be Eagles. I make sure they know they can win the game,â Trevor said before Fridayâs Homecoming game against Skowhegan. âI said âThis is the Homecoming gameâ. I said, âI want to see you guys play hard.â â
âHe gets everybody fired up. Heâs a big supporter of this team. This team definitely wouldnât be the same without him,â McKenzie said.
Messalonskee head coach Wes Littlefield said Trevorâs speeches usually focus on reminding the team that itâs a family. Maybe itâs because it was Homecoming, or maybe Trevor just felt the Eagles needed a little kick in the butt, but this week, he was more exhuberant than usual, Littlefield said.
âHe yelled, âDammit, whoâs with me?â The place errupted,â Littlefield said. âItâs the clearest thing Iâve ever heard him say.â
A half hour before Fridayâs kickoff, Trevor elaborated. He pointed at the Eagle statue beyond Veteran Fieldâs south end zone, and he pointed to the banner that hangs from the press box, the one that reads âEagle Pride.â
âI said âSome players from past teams will come watch, and some who arenât on the team yet, but want to be on the team will come watch you play. Play hard for them,â â Trevor said.
Messalonskee played hard, but by giving up six fumbles, they made it hard on themselves, too. No matter, after the game, Coach Trevor was there to offer congratulations all around. A win is a win. Play hard again next week.
âHe doesnât miss a team dinner, doesnât miss a game. Iâm sure if he could make it to practice, heâd be there, too. Itâs definitely nice having him here with us,â McKenzie said.
People say it takes heart to play football. Itâs true. As long as Coach Trevor is roaming the Messalonskee sidelines and making sure his Eagles stay pumped up and positive, thereâs no doubt which high school football team in Maine has the biggest heart of all.
Travis Lazarczyk â 861-9242
tlazarczyk@centralmaine.com
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