By Gary Lloyd
CLAY — Two Southeastern Motor Coach buses and two Clay Senior Activity Center buses idled at 10:45 a.m. in the Clay-Chalkville High School parking lot.
The Clay-Chalkville football team is meeting in the school’s cafeteria, finalizing the day’s goals. Assistant coaches leave the school for a few minutes, to drive to nearby Dairy Queen and Subway, for a box of chicken fingers, for sub sandwiches. Once back, one of them is preaching about a Saturday “business trip.”
At 11:20 a.m., the two Southeastern Motor Coach buses are loaded with helmets, jerseys and pads. The smaller two are filled with trainers, some administrators, boxes of fruit for the hottest day of the year ahead.
Clay-Chalkville football players get off the bus at Hoover High School on Saturday before the nationally televised game against Niceville (Fla.).
photo by Gary Lloyd
Players, all wearing navy blue shorts with matching shirts that read “OTF Squad” on the back — OTF stands for Only The Family — load the buses at about 11:45 a.m. They sit, quiet, focused, and still for 12 minutes, when the buses are shifted into gear and begin to roll away from the school.
All the players are serious. Some go over game plays in their minds. Others listen to music. Junior quarterback Tyrell Pigrome watches highlights of former Auburn and current Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, and Ohio State QB Braxton Miller on his cell phone.
As the parade of buses drive up Deerfoot Parkway from Clay, steer onto Interstate 59 South and proceed to 70 mph, green exit signs to the right let you know where you are. The signs let you know that Trussville is nearby, the same for Pinson and Center Point. None, except for one further north on I-59, let you know about Clay.
Clay doesn’t have its own ZIP code. Clay doesn’t have a lot of things, whether they be chain restaurants or extravagant shopping opportunities. But it has support from locals.
The Clay Senior Activity Center buses are driven by City Manager Ronnie Dixon and Mayor Charles Webster.
“I think it really means a lot to the community as a whole,” Webster said of the day.
Senior running back Terrelle West said the 36-mile ride from Clay-Chalkville High School to Hoover High School was “long.” He went over plays on the way. He said the day was a great opportunity to play on a national stage, but also to represent the community, families and the school. Clay-Chalkville arrives at Hoover at 12:38 p.m.
By 3:15 p.m., Clay-Chalkville has a lead on Niceville (Fla.) it never relinquishes. Senior cornerback Kam Prewitt said he and his teammates felt no nervousness. He said “we’re hungry” for a Class 6A state championship.
Webster said he was excited for the day, his first Clay-Chalkville game spent on the sidelines, thanks to an ESPNU sideline pass. He said he was routinely in contact with Clay-Chalkville High School Principal Michael Lee and head football coach Jerry Hood about how the city could help with such a high-profile game.
“I think it brings everybody together for one common goal,” Webster said.
The goal was realized quickly Saturday, as the Cougars dominated Niceville (Fla.), last season’s Class 7A state runner-up in the state of Florida. The business trip was completed. The ride home on the buses was more jovial, more loose.
“We can’t stop talking about the game,” junior wide receiver T.J. Simmons said on the ride back to Clay.
Contact Gary Lloyd at news@trussvilletribune.com and follow him on Twitter @GaryALloyd.
