LITTLE AXE TAKES ANOTHER HIT
Just days after the Little Axe football team lost most of its equipment in a fire, Indians player Steven Lynn fractures his leg early in a scrimmage at Tecumseh.
TECUMSEH — Thursday night was supposed to be the reprieve.
The light at the end of the tunnel of a hellish week for the Little Axe football team that began when their locker room caught fire and virtually all of their equipment was ruined.
Outfitted in donated gear — helmets from McGuinness, shoulder pads from Moore, jerseys from the National Guard and pants from Cleats for Kids — the team took the field for some much needed football therapy.
But less than five plays into their scrimmage at Tecumseh, the Little Axe players watched senior Steven Lynn lying on the ground, screaming in pain.
He had suffered a compound fracture of his left leg. The scrimmage that had barely started was stopped for half an hour as his leg was secured and he was loaded into an ambulance.
And like they’ve done all week, the Little Axe players had to once again block out the pain and push forward.
“It was heartbreaking,” junior Brandon Park said. “But we had to go play — do it for him. He’s one of my good friends, and he’s gonna miss his senior year. I know I would be devastated. That just drives us to go harder.”
Lynn represents a source of emotional strength for several of the players, whether it’s through his energetic attitude or his fight to be part of the team.
He wasn’t allowed to play as a sophomore, but he hit the benchmarks coach Matt Looney asked him to achieve to get back on the team.
“He’s not a guy we can replace because he’s so charismatic,” senior Mikeem Fool said. “We wish him well. Now we’ve got to go play.”
Little Axe held its own against Tecumseh, which helped the players keep a smile on their faces when the week’s emotional roller coaster finally came to a stop.
After the fire, players feared they’d have to forfeit some games at the start of the season. Then they witnessed the outpouring of support from donors, friends and other football teams.
On Thursday morning, Looney took his players to Academy Sports, where they got to purchase new cleats.
Looney even backed off his “team colors only” stance and let some of the kids buy black and orange cleats with a metallic shine on the bottom — perfect to go with the green and black helmets, light gold pants and black jerseys with yellow trim.
Players were immensely thankful for all the help they’ve received, including a financial contribution Thursday. All proceeds from admission to the scrimmage went to Little Axe.
As his players gathered around him for their post-scrimmage talk, Looney told his players over and over how proud he was of their effort.
“Ain’t nothin’ gonna stop you guys but you,” he said.
To come out standing tall, after the four days they’ve been through, how could they doubt him?
“Everything we’ve been through has been hard,” Fool said. “But we’re gonna get past it, because we’re that type of team.”