Last Friday, GNHS had its first game of the season. North kicked it off with a tailgate before the event. It was excitingly the first game of the season, and for some players, the first game ever at North.

“I was kinda nervous at first, especially playing Vernon Hills after they smoked us last year, but I think we definitely set the tone like in the beginning of the game,” said North’s JV player Landon Dovel.

The JV football team started the season off playing Vernon Hills. As the first game of the event, the stands were silent with disquietude as the first quarter started. 

“First game opener definitely sets the tone for the season. You can’t go undefeated without winning the first one like coach said,” Dovel said.

Dovel and the coach being a new team of fresh blood here at North expressed how important this game was for them. With a few fumbles and tackles made by defense, the JV football team won their first game 14-8. Outstanding plays seen by players after halftime, performed by North’s Dance team, brought the points in and won us our first game of the season.

“We took on the adversity,” said coach Tyler Woolard.

GNHS’ JV football team had their first game with a new football coach, coming into high school to play football during a global pandemic may have changed the normal flow of things for the players’ start to the season. 

“It starts from practice we gotta start first day getting them ready getting them set, looking like a football team, practicing together, unifying the group,”  Woolard said.

North’s JV and Varsity team worked all summer to keep shape and prepare for the season.“We were working them out in the weight room for 2 maybe 3 days a week,” Coach Woolard said.

The football summer program worked the players for hours at a time to prepare them for the workings of football this year.

“We’re doing the best we can as coaches and as players to get into the swing of things and get on track,” Woolard said.

Coach expresses how hard work went into keeping the players in shape and ready for games, and the earnest effort that went into keeping things running smoothly whilst COVID endured.

The varsity team also played diligently as they fought hard to keep a winning streak for North. North lost 14-21, with amazing plays and some daunting tackles. Grayslake North’s varsity Team also played strong and hard for their first game of the season. All the support goes into their next game as North’s Knights prepare to take back the winning streak.

“I gotta watch that weird spring season of football, so I got a feel for the guys and a feel for the program first year in, definitely working my way into the world,” Woolard said.

Coach Woolard seemed to pick up on the energy the football teams gave off during the previous season and coached the JV team to victory. 

North’s first game set the atmosphere for the rest of the sports season and the cheering from the Superfans as well as the performances from the Cheer, Dance, Color Guard and Marching band kept everyone with high spirits and contented minds.

GNHS confers both teams an immense amount of good luck for their next games, and we thank them for all the hard work that went into Last Friday’s game.