Former Knights ready for reunion
- By Jim Franz
- Beloit Daily News
- Published: 7/28/2006
Football lovers find new home in semi-pro Ironman League It's going to be like reunion weekend for several former Beloit Memorial Purple Knights when the Oak Creek Cyclones invade Roscoe's Riverside Park Saturday to play the Roscoe Rush in an Ironman Football League game (7 p.m. kickoff).
Quarterback Brad Dement and running backs Josh and Adam Pearson play for the Cyclones and Jason Gladowski, Chris Terwilliger, Jonathan Wiggins and Greg Huebbe are on the Rush roster. There's a lot on the line, too. The teams are tied at 3-2 and tied for third in the IFL's American Conference. With the top four teams advancing to the playoffs, the team with the higher seed could avoid playing the undefeated Milwaukee Bulldogs, the defending AA national champion, in the first round.
"This game could very well determine our playoff spot," said Josh Pearson, a running back who earned a berth on the IFL All-Star Team as a rookie last year.
Rules are the same as the National Football League, but instead of millionaires, IFL players don't receive a dime. Fame and fortune are not the reasons they take to the gridiron every weekend.
"I just can't see myself not playing football," 26-year-old Dement said. "I love the competitive nature of the game."
Even when he has to drag his bruised body to his real job on Monday as a high school teacher.
"After every game, after I get beat up, I feel like hanging it up," he said. "But really, I don't know how I could stop. I've been playing football for a long time."
Josh Pearson said the threat of injury doesn't prevent the action from being hard-hitting.
"It's full pads and full contact," he said. "You're pretty much on your own as far as injuries go and people do get taken away occasionally in ambulances. But most of the injuries are just minor things like bumps and bruises.
"The people I work with still think I'm crazy for doing this."
Dement, a Carroll College graduate, has been the IFL All-Star QB three years running. He played for the now defunct-Waukesha Soldiers last season. That team merged with the Milwaukee Cyclones and became the Oak Creek Cylones this season.
"I'm playing with a lot of guys I played with at Carroll and Beloit," Dement said. "There's camaraderie and team spirit. It's a good time playing with guys you basically grew up with."
The single-season record holder for yards and completions at Carroll, Dement is the Pioneers' quarterback coach as well as the offensive coordinator at Wauwatosa East High School. His Cyclones run a spread offense and like to throw the football.
"We have some good receivers, but we're still trying to mix it up with some running plays," he said.
That's where the Pearsons come in. They're playing together for the first time since high school. Adam played on defense for the Rush last year. This season he has moved to fullback with his brother helping him in the transition.
"I need a breather now and then," Josh said with a chuckle.
It's a learning process for a lot of players in the IFL.
"You have guys from all experience levels," he said. "You have guys from big colleges, small colleges and guys who never even played in high school. You'd be surprised. There are guys who never went out in high school for various reasons and they are really good athletes."
This is the first year in the league for the Rush, who lost a 15-7 heartbreaker to the Bulldogs. In their first three seasons, the Rush were 30-9-1, including 12-2 in 2005 when they played in the Midstates Football League.
Beloit's Oak Creek connection say the Rush made the right decision joining the IFL.
"It's a well-run league with quality teams and players and good officiating," Dement said. "It's getting better every year. I'm proud to be a part of it."
They expect Saturday's game to be friendly before and afterwards, but intense when the whistle blows.
"I expect will try to get after them and they'll try to do the same to us," Pearson said.
€ NOTES: In addition to the Knights playing for the Cyclones and Rush, ex-Badger Darius Jones (Class of 2000) is playing for the Franklin Outlaws, who are in second in the American Conference at 4-1. ...Antwon Vance (2001) is playing for the 5-0 Bulldogs.