High school football: Cary-Grove player state diary – Trevor Ruhland

The Northwest Herald continues a tradition when a local football team is playing for a state championship with a daily journal from a player on the team. Some Cary-Grove players will share their thoughts each day leading up to Saturday’s Class 7A title game at 4 p.m. in Champaign against Providence. Today: Offensive tackle Trevor Ruhland.

In eighth grade, I played for the Prairie Ridge feeder program (because of the old school boundaries) and we had a game against Cary-Grove. It is one of the few bad memories of playing football.

We were losing by almost 50 points to all my friends that I would have to face the next day in school. I remember my father pulled me in the fourth quarter because I was so frustrated and emotionally spent.

I thought to myself 'Those are the friends, those are the guys I want to be teammates with next year.' I knew I wanted to be part of them because we could do something special in high school, and here we are.

To think I have one more high school football game in my life fills me with mixed emotions. My teammates and I are incredibly blessed to play football for the best school in the state, and we would not be in the position we are currently without the support of this community. It makes me sad to think of not having to go to practice after school, or not wearing my extremely tight jersey to school on Fridays.

But it also fills me with a great sense of accomplishment knowing my group of friends is so close to everything we have dreamed of since eighth grade.

I am truly blessed and have the opportunity to play more football beyond this season, but knowing my last game as a high school football player seems so final. A chapter in my life is over. No going back.

Win or lose Saturday, we turn in our football equipment Monday and this dream season is over. That frightens me and really hasn’t hit me yet. My mom (Lori) has already cried a bunch and I’m sure, no matter what, I will as well.

Thinking back on my four years playing here it seems to have flown by. Going from the freshman who could not even grow whiskers and washed his pants every day after practice to the senior with a couple days left of high-school football, it really goes fast.

Football teaches you so much more than just how to play a game, it teaches you how to be a man, how to get through hard times, and how to work for all your goals. This game means so much to me and has changed my life for the better. No matter where I go in life, I will always be a Trojan and always care for this program.

Losing to Crete-Monee in 2012 was the worst sports experience in my life; it hurts doing so well all year and then falling short in the biggest game. On Saturday, I will be playing for my teammates from 2012 and all of the prior Trojans that have fallen short.

It’s time for the trophy to come home.