Welcome to the Dog House Saturday Morning Blitz

Week 6 Iowa • Week 7 Illinois
A Friday Night in Hamilton: The Game, the People, and the Legacy

Good morning, Tri-State! Grab your coffee and pull up a chair. The Dog House went on the road Friday night, and man, this trip reminded me how much I love this game.

We traveled down Highway 218, turned onto 136, and rolled into Hamilton, Illinois, for my first experience at Jim Repplinger Field, home of the West Hancock Titans.

Two of the three amigos of the Dog House team—Coach Mike Ehlers and this old ball coach—made the trip. With Coach Ryan Smith resting at home this week, this was our first Mike and Chuck duo broadcast in Illinois.

And there were hundreds of stories taking shape before we ever saw a football snapped.

We entered at the east end of the field and were stopped by one of the foundational pieces of Titan football. Right there was a pork chop operation that had my taste buds celebrating more than an hour before kickoff.

The best part? They were raising money for youth football.

How cool is that?

People giving their time, feeding the crowd, and helping the next generation get its start. You could feel the pride in this football community before you ever reached the sideline.

Mike and I made our way toward the visiting section, where the Macomb Bombers awaited. As we got closer, I could see that big old grin on Bomber head coach Tanner Horrell. We shared a little conversation before continuing toward the west end zone.

Of course, I couldn’t get through there without stopping to see that big DAWG, Drake May.

“It’s been a little bit,” he said.

We caught up for a minute before I told him, “I’ll get out of here so you can do your pregame.”

An old ball coach knows when to move along. These kids have their routines, and Drake had work to do.

As Mike and I set up in the west end zone, we kept soaking in that small-town Friday night atmosphere. Ropes marked our space, but it felt like we were right there on the sidelines for the entire venture.

Then the Titans’ bus arrived.

There were all those dudes, ready for their homecoming game. Hunter Froman, Chandler Dadant, and the entire crew went through their preparations.

Coach Coy Dorothy nearly made his way over to get on camera during our pregame, too. But a coach’s time before kickoff belongs to his team. He didn’t need a couple of old ball coaches conversing in the west end zone interrupting his work.

We also had the chance to see and converse with The Legend, Chris Duerr. Getting to talk football with him was another highlight of the evening.

And be sure to check out Muddy River News with Schuckman, Duerr, and the whole gang. They are a great, great group. I have a lot of respect for the people who keep showing up to cover our communities and tell the stories of these student-athletes. Give their coverage a look.

Just before kickoff, West Hancock Superintendent Jason Church stopped by. A man I would call a football demigod in northeast Missouri, Jason helped build the Clark County Indians. It was great to visit with him and make another football connection.

Then came a moment I won’t soon forget.

Watching both teams carry their flags onto that field was one of my highlights of the year.

I have so much respect for these coaches, these communities, and these players. There were the Titans and the Bombers, carrying their colors and representing the people who stand behind them.

From our spot in the west end zone, this old ball coach took a moment to soak it all in. Before the first snap, those kids had already given me something I would remember.

Then the action started.

And folks, they started fast.

Hunter Froman caught a few passes in those early drives that were simply amazing catches. I got a few posted to our Instagram and Facebook pages. If you haven’t seen them, go take a look.

Man, this kid is talented.

The Bombers’ defensive front was stellar. Yards on the ground were hard to come by, even for that beast of a running back, Chandler Dadant.

But Chandler kept coming. He broke a few runs and scored in the west end zone, right in front of Mike and me.

What happened next might have been my favorite part of that touchdown.

He slapped hands with the little future football players waiting there in the end zone.

Those youngsters got to share a celebration with one of their hometown players. For Chandler, it was a quick moment in the middle of a game. For one of those little guys, it might be the moment he remembers for years.

Earlier, we had watched people selling pork chops to support youth football. Now we were watching a Titan give those future players another reason to dream about wearing that jersey.

That stuff matters.

West Hancock came out swinging, scoring the first 12 points of the ball game. But here came the Macomb Bombers, answering back and turning those early exchanges into a blow-for-blow fight.

Drake May’s long runs and touchdown performance were truly magic in motion. When that big DAWG gets rolling, you find yourself watching every step.

And Drake is part of a Bomber group with plenty of names worth recognizing. Quarterback Kaden Knupp, receiving options Kyler Norton, Carter Havens, and Nick Elbe, and running backs Colby Martin and Johnathan Powell all belong in the conversation. Macomb’s posted season leaders also include Jeshua McPheeters, Cameron Keene, Tyler Schulz, and Leighton Lambert for their defensive contributions. Those acknowledgments come from the season statistics available before the Hamilton game; Friday’s individual numbers weren’t posted yet.

And give those linemen their attention, too. Mike and I saw the work of that Bomber defensive front. The guys battling at the line of scrimmage deserve to have their stories told right alongside the players carrying and catching the football.

Macomb finished with a 70–32 victory, moving the Bombers to 6–1. But there was so much from our visit that a final score could never capture.

Later, Mike and I climbed into the old white Honda and headed up the road, hoping to catch the Dog Fight in Mount Pleasant. A look at the clock told us we were too far away to get there in time.

So we pulled into Sonic and watched the rest of that game on my phone, picking it up with about four minutes left.

Sometimes the Dog House gets its view from a west end zone in Hamilton. Sometimes it comes from a phone in the old white Honda at Sonic.

Either way, this old ball coach still wants to see what happens next.

More on that Mount Pleasant Dog Fight later this weekend.

And the stories from Hamilton didn’t stop when we left.

Today, I received a message from Bob Bryant, a former West Hancock player, a great friend, and a trusted coaching confidant.

“Played many games on that field!” Bob told me.

He spoke about Coach Repplinger’s lasting legacy and how great it is to see that legacy still recognized on the front of the press box.

Bob recalled being part of the 1983 team that lost to East St. Louis Assumption in the quarterfinals, and the 1985 team that lost to eventual state champion Casey in the semifinals on that very field.

Then he shared another piece of football history: had they won that semifinal, they would have faced Coach Hoffman’s team in the championship game.

Man, think about the memories that field holds.

Mike and I were experiencing it for the first time. For Bob and so many others, it is a place where pieces of their lives still live. Friday night, another group of kids carried their flags onto that same field and added memories of their own.

Thank you, Bob, for sharing yours. You gave this old ball coach an even greater appreciation for the ground we were standing on.

That is what this trip brought home to me.

The Dog House represents a family of people and resources working to create a greater stage for the student-athletes in our region.

These kids have stories worth telling. Their coaches, families, and communities deserve recognition. The more people we bring together, the more opportunities we have to help those stories reach someone.

Football has given me so much over the years. Friendships. Purpose. Time with young people I still care about long after their playing days are over. Lessons I have carried into my classroom, my family, and my own struggles.

My role looks different these days, but that love is still there.

I still have something to give.

Through the Dog House, I get to keep showing up for these kids, recognize the people working beside them, and help others see what makes our football communities special.

Friday night gave me Hunter Froman’s catches, Chandler Dadant’s celebration with the little guys, Drake May’s runs, conversations with coaches and friends, and two teams proudly carrying their flags onto a field full of history.

Thank you, West Hancock, for welcoming us. Thank you to the Titans and Bombers for giving us an evening worth remembering.

This game has given me a lifetime of memories. The Dog House is one way I can give something back.

—Coach Chuck Banks
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