Nation's Best

Being relatively new to Tulsa, the whole experience known as "The Backyard Bowl" seems almost surreal, even breathtaking. The game itself seems to take on a life of its own accentuated by the emotions of the fans and the incredible attendance. The frenzy starts when the players report for practice in August. It continues to grow and swell until that fateful evening each September when the Jenks Trojans and the Union Redskins strap up and step out onto the field at Chapman Stadium. But what about the players? Does this yearly Clash of the Titans have any impact on these gentlemen at all? Especially the program players, these young men that have been putting on their school colors ever since they were given their first jersey, probably before they could even walk. These two sets of gentlemen are friends in the community, but when they step onto the gridiron, they become adversaries. The quarterbacks for both teams, Union's Brandon Rogers and Jenks' Mark Ginther, have been leading their respective teams against each other since the fourth grade. Rogers had the better of Ginther for five straight years, with the sole exception being a preseason scrimmage when they were in sixth grade when Jenks walked away the victor. Since then? "Well, (Brandon and I) haven't played head to head since until last year, and we (Jenks) won, 9-6," Ginther said. "It was great. I just wanted to go out there and compete." Since he's been with the Trojans since fourth grade, Ginther commented, "It's a good honor to have. Obviously, it helps to grow up in the system, know who the coaches are and know the expectations." The thought of playing in The Backyard Bowl brought a smile to Ginther's face. "It's one of your dreams to play on that field, and it's good to finally get your chance," he added. Rogers had similar feelings about being with the Redskins since the fourth grade himself. "It means everything to me (to play for Union)," Rogers said. "You know, watching all of the players from the past on Friday nights meant the world to me and all of the other guys. Seeing the colors and all of the tradition happening. We need to carry on the legacy." How does Rogers feel about this yearly meeting between two of the strongest teams in all of Oklahoma? "Growing up, like I said, watching the games, this is a very important game to us," Rogers continued. "It's more of a pride issue. Going up against these guys ever since we were little kids, it becomes a little bit personal." Other Jenks players feel the same way about playing within their program as Ginther does. Safety Joe Raranje from Jenks mentioned, "It's like a family. You trust each other, and you can talk to each other about on and off the field issues." Offensive lineman Cory Dorris followed the trust issue. "It makes it easier to trust the guy next to you," Dorris commented. Jenks defensive lineman Eric Marshall continued the conversation. "It actually feels really good (being a program player), because I know how these guys will play and face a hard situation. I've been here since the second grade, and it's been a lot of fun." Senior defensive lineman Lyle Engles, who's been with Jenks since the first grade, said, "It means a lot. It's kind of like a family in a way. We've all grown up together." Another player that believes in the Jenks family is senior offensive lineman J.C. Carr. "Most of these guys around here, like Lyle and Cory and Joe, I've played with since third or fourth grade. So, it definitely builds a brotherhood, which I think is important when you stand on the field next to your brother. Playing for Jenks, it means a lot to all of these guys. We're one of the best programs in the nation. It gives us a sense of pride playing here." Sophomore offensive lineman Jake Alexander finished up for the Trojans. "It feels great," Alexander said. "I've been going to all of the camps, and Coach (Allan) Trimble was there. I'm in a different grade than these guys, but being with them in summer workouts, even though I've not been with them my whole life, we're still brothers." While the Jenks players always mentioned brotherhood, the Union players seemed to lean more toward the tradition and history of Redskin football. Defensive lineman Mitch Williams commented, "Ever since you were a little kid, you'd come to the game on Friday and watch those guys play. It becomes something you want to do for your entire life." "It's a thrill when you're younger to come out and want an autograph from a high school player, and now you're on the high school team and little kids come up to you," offensive lineman Christian Zaio added. "It's been my dream to make the high school team." Linebacker Dylan Troutman said, "Ever since sixth grade, I've been coming to these camps in the summer, getting familiar with the system, and pretty much (learning) how to do it the Redskins way." Cornerback Tahj Lark said, "It's been the same guys since the third grade. You get to see how everyone's getting better, and the competition is getting better and better." Running back Jeremy Smith had the simplest answer for being a program player. "To me, (making the team) just represents hard work." Ah, but what of the game itself? What does the entire spectacle of The Backyard Bowl, especially being at 'neutral' Chapman Stadium, mean to these warriors? Jenks junior fullback Grant Goodwin said," It's a really big thing, because you have some really big shoes to fill. It's a whole different thing." "Back in the day, they always used to beat us. Now we're under the lights and it's our time to shine," Raranje said. "It means everything to me. It's not like I hate Union; I'm friends with a lot of Union guys, but this is huge," Alexander said. Marshall tacked on this thought: "It's another chance to go out there and improve ourselves, and to win it for my senior year so I can be happy when I go to college." Union kicker Tress Way added, "Every game is a big game, but whenever you play Jenks, it's a big feeling." Union center Brett Walden said, ""This game means a ton. If we lose that game, the whole of Union -- the students, the faculty -- everybody's down. It just puts everyone in a bad mood." "It's right there with the championship. Everyone just cares about that game more than any other the rest of the season," Williams said. Lark's added his thoughts: "It's like the only high school football game that everyone in the state wants to come to. You never know what the outcome's going to be." Carr added some final thoughts as we anticipate The Backyard Bowl for 2007. "The Jenks v. Union game has been such a tremendous rivalry for so many years. When you go out on that field and play for thousands of fans, it's a wonderful feeling," Carr said. "There's nothing like it in the world."