Welcome to TheOhioOutdoors
Wanting to join the rest of our members? Login or sign up today!
Login / Join

Afganastan

5Cent

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
12,291
212
North Central Ohio
2 local schools in the area are showing tribute tonight, Edison for Max, Clyde (JB's alum) for 9/11 and a statue dedication. Our small towns in North Central Ohio are kicking ass boys!

Sep 10, 2021 7:30 AM
Patriotic tributes will be prevalent this weekend as America marks the 20th anniversary of 9/11. Many of the biggest will take place in football stadiums, from the NFL's massive venues to small dots on a map.
Clyde High School will hold a big-league ceremony Friday night at its new Military Appreciation Monument Area, which features a replica F-16 fighter.
Dignitaries will speak, flags will fly and the Fliers will wait to kick off against Toledo Start until two F-16 "Fighting Falcons" from the Ohio Air National Guard's 112th Fighter Squadron in Toledo treat the crowd to a flyover.
And there's more. A parachute team made up of former military members will be skydiving into Robert J. Bishop Stadium with a large American flag during a presentation that will honor veterans and their families. Another huge flag will hang near one of the end zones.

Festivities will begin about 6:45 p.m. The night has been months in the making, and it fits comfortably into the time-tested marriage of patriotism and football. Clyde athletic director Ryan Greenslade said the setting is perfect for such a large community event.
"Friday Night Lights bring people together, and without the military and veterans we wouldn't have the freedoms we have," Greenslade said. "It's what makes the United States the United States.
"We're trying to go all out and do it right."

Honoring Maxton Soviak
Clyde's big night won't be the only patriotic display in the area on a special Friday night.
At Edison High School, former Chargers football player Maxton Soviak will be honored. The Navy Corpsman was killed in a terrorist attack in Afghanistan on August 26.
"You think about small-town America, and sports is what brings everyone together, especially football," said Edison athletic director Nick Wenzel. "It's outdoors and you have things you might not necessarily have at an indoor sports — the marching band, cheerleaders. Football seems to be the sport everyone gravitates to. Small-town pride, school pride, it's all right there."
A chair with Soviak's jersey and a Navy Hospital Corpsman flag will placed near the south end zone, along with 12 empty chairs to honor other members of the military who lost their lives in the attack in Kabul.
One day after Soviak was killed, Edison played a football game in Bellevue. It was an emotional night for many, and the host school paid its respects to the American hero, a 2017 Edison graduate who wore number 27 for the Chargers.
A color guard representing American Legion Post 46, VFW Post 1238 and the Marine Corps League marched across the field before the Redmen and Chargers played.
Jim Pickering, a U.S. Navy veteran who served on a destroyer from 1959 to 1963, carried the Navy flag. Pickering, a member of the Bellevue Legion post, usually is stationed at the large flag pole in the south end zone before games. On this night, he had another duty.
"Since I had been in the Navy and the young man who had lost his life was in the Navy, they asked me to carry to Navy flag and it was quite an honor," said Pickering, who retired in 1995 after working 30 years for the Ohio State Highway Patrol. "I tried to do the best I could. I'm sure the Edison crowd was appreciative of what we did."
Like Clyde, Bellevue has a "chair of honor" at its football stadium that recognizes those who are prisoners of war or missing in action. The chair was dedicated in 2019.
The American flag is front and center at many football stadiums. It's not unusual to see players carry the flag onto the field. Last season, Huron senior Ayden Swinehart carried Old Glory onto the turf to honor the military and his mother, who was serving overseas. Swinehart is now in the Navy.
The Huron football team wears American flag stickers on their helmets. They were provided by the Ohio National Guard.
"When the national anthem is played at our stadium we have a rather large flag," said Huron coach Sam Hohler, who had one grandfather serve in World War II and the other serve in Korea. "It promotes patriotism and a lot of the community embraces that."

Marching bands' pageantry
Marching bands add to the pageantry at football games. Port Clinton fans will be treated to a double dose of bands at Friday's home game. The PC band and the Heidelberg University band will team up to perform a robust version of the national anthem.
At halftime, the Heidelberg band will perform a 9/11 tribute.
Port Clinton band director Rod Miller, who is in his 34th and final year in the job, will be remembering friends in New York. Miller is close to four first responders who toiled at Ground Zero after the World Trade Center buildings fell on Sept. 11, 2001.
"9/11 for me, as a band director, is something we make sure we do," said Miller. "We have a great opportunity to honor people."
Miller was the band director at Perrysburg High School 20 years ago. The attacks occurred on a Tuesday and Perrysburg played at Rossford three nights later.
"We changed our entire show in two days," he said. "That was a very emotional thing."
Miller secured a huge American flag from a local car dealership that was used that night as emotions were still raw from what happened in New York.
"Somehow we ended up on ESPN with a two- or three-second clip," said Miller. "It was a nervous time for all of us. We got a lot of nice letters after our performance. We were just happy to be able to do something."

A Clyde destination
Greenslade feels the same way. He hopes the new monument at Clyde will make an impact on the community. Black granite inlays below the replica F-16 will honor each branch of the military. About 150 medallions will be added to the area to honor retired and current military members.
"It'll be one of those things people come to the stadium just to see when it's all done," said Greenslade. "We hope it's a destination for people."
The mayors of Clyde and Green Springs, as well as OHSAA commissioner Doug Ute, will be among the speakers. There also will be a dedication for the revamped stadium, which features new field turf.
The F-16 replica was built in a fabrication shop in Arizona owned by Clyde alumnus Tim Tarris. It was shipped to Ohio on a semi-truck. Tarris, a former Air Force pilot who retired from the military after 30 years of service, was instrumental in securing the F-16 flyover from the Ohio Air National Guard.
Tarris and Jerry Gill, another Clyde alum and Air Force veteran who helped with the F-16 monument, will be available to chat with the public at Friday's game. Gill's electronics expertise will be apparent when the F-16 lights up.
They are just two of the many people who made the ambitious Clyde project a reality.
"It's amazing the number of people who came forward who wanted to help," said Greenslade. "There is a lot of respect in this community for the freedoms we have, which are second to none. We are really proud of this, and there's no better place to celebrate those freedoms than at a high school football game."
 

5Cent

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
12,291
212
North Central Ohio
I couldn't find the live feed to the game




FB_IMG_1631329057620.jpg
FB_IMG_1631329086274.jpg
FB_IMG_1631329090073.jpg

FB_IMG_1631329586472.jpg
 
Last edited:

5Cent

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
12,291
212
North Central Ohio

Ty's (9yrs old) alarm is set for 6am tomorrow, 600+ chairs to be setup starting at 7am. Spent the last 2+hrs letting him flip between the different 9/11 documentaries, tying it all together on the "why" and "how" this has happened....while I explain the beginning, and an end.

I am damn certain he goes to sleep tonight with more questions than answers. Tomorrow he gets to experience the "what" in the equation. The young man speaking in the video above is Bryce, a role model/big brother to all 3 of our boys as the son of our private babysitter for the last decade. It's been heartbreaking & extreme pride to see him/that class come together to honor Max.
 
Last edited:

Wildlife

Denny
Supporting Member
5,248
191
Ross County, Ohio
Thought this was appropriate. A local music artist/musician put it together.


Apparently, just a hand full of us were suppose to evaluate the video first, That is why it went unavailable shortly after I posted the original.

So, now here is the latest link for the video of the previous post from about an hour ago of a some people that we know that put this project together.

Again, I thought it is appropriate to share with you all on this thread.

 

5Cent

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
12,291
212
North Central Ohio
A good one covering Max's accomplishments on the field and wrestling mat, this is how I knew him by following and being involved lightly in both. I try to look for ways to post non-Facebook videos but it's only hosting spot I can find.


So so hard to wrap my head around the fact he was just a baby when 9/11 started all of this, and then this is it ended for both the war and his life.
 

Dustinb80

#FACKCANCER
Supporting Member
18,172
187
S.W. Ohio
A good one covering Max's accomplishments on the field and wrestling mat, this is how I knew him by following and being involved lightly in both. I try to look for ways to post non-Facebook videos but it's only hosting spot I can find.


So so hard to wrap my head around the fact he was just a baby when 9/11 started all of this, and then this is it ended for both the war and his life

Damn
 
  • Like
Reactions: Big_Holla and 5Cent

Wildlife

Denny
Supporting Member
5,248
191
Ross County, Ohio
Thanks @5Cent Adam for keeping me in the loop regarding Max! As you may or may not realize, I have no other social media and what you have shared is truly somethin special and I would have never known really if it wasn't for you. So, thank you!

My hat goes off to all those involved in sharing Max's life with us and telling the story of just what a great young man he truly was, and I'm sure he'll forever be missed by many!

May he rest in peace, God rest his soul!
 

5Cent

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
12,291
212
North Central Ohio
Thanks @5Cent Adam for keeping me in the loop regarding Max! As you may or may not realize, I have no other social media and what you have shared is truly somethin special and I would have never known really if it wasn't for you. So, thank you!

My hat goes off to all those involved in sharing Max's life with us and telling the story of just what a great young man he truly was, and I'm sure he'll forever be missed by many!

May he rest in peace, God rest his soul!
Least I can do. Thank you for your interest and honor of someone you do not know (goes for you all).

While Max has finally been laid to rest in honor, his impact on our community will be felt for many years to come.
 

5Cent

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
12,291
212
North Central Ohio
Reports say Max was called to the front of the gates for an injured woman and child when the blast went off. Prior to, the picture in the article was snapped. Another story that reinforces the type of person this young man was and his entire family.

 

5Cent

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
12,291
212
North Central Ohio

Stressless

Active Member
2,128
85
Keene, OH
I'll remember.

1655338431405.png