The Eureka Tornado football team concluded the 2023 season last Thursday, at Fredonia, with a 6-16 loss to the Yellowjackets.
The lone Tornado touchdown came in the fourth quarter with a 14-yard touchdown from Peyton Hare to Lyle Perrier.
The Tornadoes finished the season with an overall record of 1-8.
“Our hopes for this young team, was this year was a painful learning experience that will pay off in the long run,” stated head coach Jonah McKee. “In a small school you can’t always control your numbers but with how “bottom heavy” we were playing younger players was a necessity. Some players moved positions and some played positions that they have never really played before,” he continued.
“I believe this team has committed themselves to that, so we need to focus on getting stronger, faster and find something inside of us that just will not let us lose. You don’t just turn a switch and decide to compete on game day, you compete in the classroom, you compete to be the best human you can be, you compete when nobody is watching. If we focus on being the best we can be, every rep in the classroom, in the weight room, in practice and in the games, things should fall into place,” stated Coach McKee.
With thoughts of rebuilding the Tornado football program, Coach McKee hopes to build relationships and create a love for the game. “This team created a culture and bonds this year that will be important for the future of this program as well as a new found love for the game. On the field we had some players take some solid steps in their development to either be contributors on Friday nights or to potentially earn a college scholarship,” stated Coach McKee.
As nine seniors concluded their time on the football field, Coach McKee shared the following directed to them, “First off thank you for everything you have done for this program & I love each and every one of you like my own. This was a special group that easily could have decided to not come back out or not be as committed as they were. To have 3 head coaches in 3 years is unimaginable and for them to be the heart beat of our team and to lead like they did I will forever be grateful. Each one of them offered something unique to our team that was invaluable and they will be greatly missed. They didn’t get to see the fruits of their labor but I truly believe that they laid the foundation for something to come and I hope one day when they come back to watch a game they see what they started.”
