October 04, 2024
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Bureau Valley Homecoming will have a new roar

‘Thunder and Lightning’ entrance creates excitement at Storm Stadium

By Kevin Hieronymus
The Bureau Valley Storm take the field Friday night for their home and conference opener against the Lewistown-Valley-Cuba Miners.

The Bureau Valley Storm take the field Friday night for their first home of the season to their new "Thunder and Lightning" entrance. (Photo provided by Jason Stabler)

MANLIUS - There will be an extra buzz in the air at Storm Stadium Friday night as all Homecoming games bring.

This year, the Bureau Valley alumni will encounter an even louder roar when the Storm take the field to play Elmwood-Brimfield in a Lincoln Trail/Prairieland Conference battle.

Storm football coach Mat Pistole has brought in a new tradition for home games this season, having the football team walk through the roar of motorcycles revving their engines and a fog of blue smoke as they take the field.

It’s an idea he incorporated from Wilmington High School, which has been running its “coming out of the woods” player introductions since 2000.

“They have been coming out behind Harleys for years. I got to witness it a few years ago. It was awesome and my wife has been on me to do it,” Pistole said. “I’ve thought about doing it ever since, but never pulled the trigger for a variety of reasons.”

This year, he knew it was time after their Week 2 loss at Ridgeview to bring out the “Thunder and Lightning” entrance.

“Coming home for the first game of the year, I knew we needed a spark so I began planning,” he said.

Pistole contacted Storm mom Barbie (Bracin) Patnoe, who works at Psycho Silo Saloon, and knew she would have the right connections to line up some motorcycle riders.

“The bikes are the ‘Thunder’ and we are the ‘Lightning’ with the lighting bolts on our helmets. It was relatively easy to pull off. Barbie did all the leg work to get the bikes there and organize them the night of,” Pistole said. “It’s something I hope grows and I think it can be another of many things that make Friday nights in the fall so awesome.”

The new introduction is a big hit with the players.

“The motorcycle intro is definitely one of the most hype things I’ve ever been a part of,” BV senior quarterback and captain Bryce Helms said. “It definitely gets the blood pumping before big games like tomorrow.”

Motorcycles line up at Storm Stadium to provide the "Thunder" for the Storm's entrance on to the field for a recent Bureau Valley game.

Motorcycles line up at Storm Stadium to provide the "Thunder" for the Storm's entrance on to the field for a recent Bureau Valley game. (Photo provided)

The Storm coach said the placement of where the team walks out right next to where the young kids play their own football games on Friday nights isn’t by accident either.

“I want all those boys dreaming of doing that one day. I’ve been told the game stops when we go through,” he said. “It’s just an awesome way to involve the community and drum up excitement for some young men that work really hard and deserve all the positive attention they get.

“I’m so thankful for the guys that bring their bikes and have committed to for the rest of the year. I hope it continues to grow and becomes a tradition that we can continue to lean into.”

Bureau Valley Superintendent Jason Stabler admits at first he wasn’t sold on the idea, but now says, “It’s pretty cool to see it in action. It’s going to be loud Friday.”

“Mr. Stabler wasn’t all in on the idea at first, but he is now after seeing it,” Pistole said with a laugh.