In a game against Middletown North eight years ago, Sayreville defeated the Lions in a 41-14 decision and won the title of state champions. Their legacy continues to today with them being honored at this year’s homecoming game which gave the alumni a chance to come back to the gridiron one more time. In an interview with Micheal Germann, Colton Redding, and Elijah Clark, they tell what it was like to be a part of the team and give advice to the new generation of players.
“Playing football for Sayreville holds you to a higher standard to the years beforehand. Everyone that has played before us has implemented a standard of what you expect from one another and that is what allowed us to become who we were during football,” stated Germann.
When discussing what made their team championship winners, the players stated that brotherhood was the biggest attribution. They didn’t just win for themselves but they would win for the guys they were next to on the field and their community. When you’re in a brotherhood you have no other choice but to win or lose together so players need to work harder in order to not disappoint the people around them.
“Brothers love each other and if you love somebody you can do anything you want,” stated Clark.
Overcoming adversity was another day to day thing for the Sayreville players. Elijah Clark played football at Temple University in Philadelphia and talked about how overcoming that adversity prepared him for Division I football in the NCAA. He felt that once he got to college he could do anything he wanted because he had already gotten through so much alongside his teammates in high school.
“During football season, you will find out that there are day to day problems that you will figure out. And you have to. Otherwise your brothers are gonna have a downfall due to you,” said Clark.
After gaining knowledge throughout the years, the advice these three alumni have for the younger generation is to put every single ounce of energy they have onto the football field. They want players to take advantage of the time they have now because that time will never come back as much as they want it to. They also said for the team to not just play smart, but to play with all of their heart and enjoy the moments they have with their teammates and coaches because they will be the ones that will have a impact on their lives.
“If I could give anything, and you’ve heard this a million times, boys and girls. If I can give anything, I would do everything to get one more play. Play with everything you have and be tougher for longer, for as long as it takes, ” said Redding.
