High school football: Cary-Grove player state diary – Thor Halverson

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

As our season winds down to the final days and practices before our final game, I find myself remembering how I made it here.

I started playing football in first grade, but then took a three-year hiatus before continuing in fifth grade though my senior year. By eighth grade I had played 10 out of 11 positions on offense, and was going into high school as a quarterback. At the end of my freshman season, I had been moved to wide receiver, and then split tackle and linebacker.

My sophomore year I continued to play split tackle, but defensively was moved to safety. By junior year, I finally was settled at running back, which I continue to play today.

Throughout all of the changes and positions in my career, one thing has remained constant, and that’s my dedication to being a strong teammate to all the other guys out there doing the same. We all work together to be great, regardless of the conditions we are put in, and I think that really shows on our team this year, with almost half of our offense playing both sides of the ball. Though this certainly isn’t new to this year’s team, as I’ve seen it many other years, most notably in 2012.

I remember my sophomore year of football, my brother, Gunnar Halverson, was playing split guard as a senior, and he was telling me how Patrick O’Malley was being moved from his two-year position at varsity fullback to play nose tackle, and Kyle Norberg was being moved to fullback from his two-year position on defense.

Both players were able to handle the transition smoothly and with a positive outlook at a chance to improve themselves and the team as a whole. As a result, both were highly successful at the respective positions, and were able to lead the team to a shot at the being the state champions.

Being moved up as sophomore in the playoffs to the eventual 2012 state team was one of the most memorable experiences of my football career. Not only was I able to practice with one of the hardest-working group of guys I’ve ever known, but also I was able to get a taste of what greatness is.

And now we’re all working toward that greatness we’ve been waiting to achieve, not just since 2012, but since we all started playing as little kids.