The sound of silence: High Point Christian Cougars have to bring their own noise in opener
HIGH POINT — As High Point Christian quarterback Luke Homol ran around left end on the third play from scrimmage, there was an air of anticipation that high school football season was about to announce its arrival.
As Homol’s stride lengthened and he sprinted down the sideline and away from Metrolina Christian defenders, you waited for the roar, for the explosion of noise when he crossed the goal line 72 yards later.
But the only sounds as Homol celebrated and was lifted into the air by fellow team captain Phil Couillard came from the High Point Christian sideline. The Cougars’ cheers rattled around the empty metal bleachers behind the home bench Thursday night at High Point Athletic Complex.
No fans were allowed to attend the game under N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association safety guidelines because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Not even the players’ parents.
“When you score and you don’t hear the cowbells, don’t hear the fans yelling, that was really weird,” said High Point Christian coach Scott Bell.
Homol ran for another touchdown and threw for four scores in the Cougars’ 40-21 victory, but the only thing that was normal during the first high school football game this year in the Triad was what happened on the field.
Off the field, the night began with everyone entering the stadium who hadn’t already been screened at one of the schools earlier in the day having their temperature checked and completing a health questionnaire. High Point Christian athletics director Corey Gesell and the school’s certified athletics trainer, Morgen Wade, had done their work all week to adhere to NCISAA safety protocols.
The quiet was eerie at times and every sound was magnified as Metrolina Christian players huddled near the restrooms at one end of the stadium after the 90-mile bus ride from Indian Trail in Union County.
The High Point Christian players started arriving at the stadium parking lot in cars and pickup trucks nearly two hours before the 7 p.m. kickoff. Whether it was the heavy metal of Five Finger Death Punch, the classic rock of Led Zeppelin, the Southern rock of Lynyrd Skynyrd or the latest hip-hop beats, the players knew they would have to bring their own noise. The music coming from their rides and from a sound system on the home sideline set the mood as they walked through the gate toward the field carrying their helmets and shoulder pads.
When it was time to break down into position groups, assistant coach Eric Fleming reminded his guys to “play with emotion!” But it wasn’t easy at first.
As the full team gathered to break it down after stretching, Homol shouted to his teammates, “Outside voices! I don’t wanna hear no inside voices!”
The Cougars did their part, with some help from their cheerleaders, but with no P.A. announcements because of technical issues not related to the coronavirus, the game’s soundtrack was muted for most of the night. During any pause in the action it seemed like the loudest sound in the stadium was the steady rain plinking on the empty bleachers or thumping on the roof of a tent covering High Point Christian’s training table.
It was definitely different, but game official Antonio Kirkpatrick couldn’t help but smile as he sought shelter from the rain under that tent during halftime. “Feels good to be back runnin’ around,” the former Smith head coach and Dudley assistant said, echoing what everyone was feeling.
Back on the field, conversations among teammates and between players and officials seemed to be amplified with no other sounds to drown them out. It was as if the scoreboard siren that signaled the end of each quarter and, ultimately the end of the game, had been turned up to 11.
And when the game ended, the celebration was subdued, too. There was no handshake line that might spread the coronavirus. Instead the teams lined up facing each other on the hashmarks near midfield to pray together and pay their respects to each other from an appropriate distance before heading home.
“It definitely feels weird not being able to look up and see your momma and your father, not being able to hear them call your name,” said High Point Christian lineman Glenn Bullock, “but it at the end of the day we have a job to do. We have to go out there and play football, and that’s what we did.”
Once the game settled into a rhythm Bell said he didn’t even notice the lack of fans.
“As a head coach I’m so honed in on the game that I didn’t really notice the lack of noise,” the Cougars’ coach said. “But it’s all weird. You try to distance yourselves on the sideline, yet you’re out here blocking and tackling and falling on top of guys. I thought we did a pretty good job.
“Hopefully, we set an example that this can be done safely.”
- Joe Sirera NEWS & RECORD
HIGH POINT — As High Point Christian quarterback Luke Homol ran around left end on the third play from scrimmage, there was an air of anticipation that high school football season was about to announce its arrival.
As Homol’s stride lengthened and he sprinted down the sideline and away from Metrolina Christian defenders, you waited for the roar, for the explosion of noise when he crossed the goal line 72 yards later.
But the only sounds as Homol celebrated and was lifted into the air by fellow team captain Phil Couillard came from the High Point Christian sideline. The Cougars’ cheers rattled around the empty metal bleachers behind the home bench Thursday night at High Point Athletic Complex.
No fans were allowed to attend the game under N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association safety guidelines because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Not even the players’ parents.
“When you score and you don’t hear the cowbells, don’t hear the fans yelling, that was really weird,” said High Point Christian coach Scott Bell.
Homol ran for another touchdown and threw for four scores in the Cougars’ 40-21 victory, but the only thing that was normal during the first high school football game this year in the Triad was what happened on the field.
Off the field, the night began with everyone entering the stadium who hadn’t already been screened at one of the schools earlier in the day having their temperature checked and completing a health questionnaire. High Point Christian athletics director Corey Gesell and the school’s certified athletics trainer, Morgen Wade, had done their work all week to adhere to NCISAA safety protocols.
The quiet was eerie at times and every sound was magnified as Metrolina Christian players huddled near the restrooms at one end of the stadium after the 90-mile bus ride from Indian Trail in Union County.
The High Point Christian players started arriving at the stadium parking lot in cars and pickup trucks nearly two hours before the 7 p.m. kickoff. Whether it was the heavy metal of Five Finger Death Punch, the classic rock of Led Zeppelin, the Southern rock of Lynyrd Skynyrd or the latest hip-hop beats, the players knew they would have to bring their own noise. The music coming from their rides and from a sound system on the home sideline set the mood as they walked through the gate toward the field carrying their helmets and shoulder pads.
When it was time to break down into position groups, assistant coach Eric Fleming reminded his guys to “play with emotion!” But it wasn’t easy at first.
As the full team gathered to break it down after stretching, Homol shouted to his teammates, “Outside voices! I don’t wanna hear no inside voices!”
The Cougars did their part, with some help from their cheerleaders, but with no P.A. announcements because of technical issues not related to the coronavirus, the game’s soundtrack was muted for most of the night. During any pause in the action it seemed like the loudest sound in the stadium was the steady rain plinking on the empty bleachers or thumping on the roof of a tent covering High Point Christian’s training table.
It was definitely different, but game official Antonio Kirkpatrick couldn’t help but smile as he sought shelter from the rain under that tent during halftime. “Feels good to be back runnin’ around,” the former Smith head coach and Dudley assistant said, echoing what everyone was feeling.
Back on the field, conversations among teammates and between players and officials seemed to be amplified with no other sounds to drown them out. It was as if the scoreboard siren that signaled the end of each quarter and, ultimately the end of the game, had been turned up to 11.
And when the game ended, the celebration was subdued, too. There was no handshake line that might spread the coronavirus. Instead the teams lined up facing each other on the hashmarks near midfield to pray together and pay their respects to each other from an appropriate distance before heading home.
“It definitely feels weird not being able to look up and see your momma and your father, not being able to hear them call your name,” said High Point Christian lineman Glenn Bullock, “but it at the end of the day we have a job to do. We have to go out there and play football, and that’s what we did.”
Once the game settled into a rhythm Bell said he didn’t even notice the lack of fans.
“As a head coach I’m so honed in on the game that I didn’t really notice the lack of noise,” the Cougars’ coach said. “But it’s all weird. You try to distance yourselves on the sideline, yet you’re out here blocking and tackling and falling on top of guys. I thought we did a pretty good job.
“Hopefully, we set an example that this can be done safely.”
