MADRID — Brief ceremonies were held before Friday’s season-opening football game between Woodward-Granger and host Madrid to honor the memories of a player and a coach who should have been present but were not.
Madrid Hall of Fame coach Randy Hinkel suffered a fatal heart attack Dec. 20, only 10 days after the funeral services for W-G junior Drew Jacobson, who succumbed to an undetected and unsuspected heart condition after collapsing at a Dec. 2 basketball practice. Hinkel family members gathered on the track before the game as a tribute to the local icon was read.
A moment of silence was held, with the home crowd joined by the W-G following in a thunderous round of applause for the coach who had led the Tigers for 29 years.
W-G captains Brendan Bird, Tanner Vermaas, Josh Saak and Logan Canova honored Jacobson by carrying his No. 58 home jersey to midfield for the ceremonial coin toss.
Both teams received special permission from the IHSAA to recognize their respective losses with helmet decals this season. The Tigers are wearing a sticker with the initials “RH” while the Hawks have a “58” decal on their head gear.
Madrid dominated the game itself, rolling to a 47-12 victory. ThePerryNews.com will have full game details once statistical information is available.
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