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STATE CHAMPS: Bonfire to be held in honor of Jacks’ big win
A victory bonfire celebration has been scheduled Wednesday evening to officially recognize the North Tonawanda Lumberjacks and their history-making state football title win Sunday in Syracuse.
“I don’t know what to say. Just incredible,” North Tonawanda High School Principal Jim Fisher said. “It was the pinnacle of a great season.”
Long-time Lumberjacks game caller Dick Grapes has been chosen to announce the program to begin at 8 p.m. Wednesday at the athletic field behind the high school at 405 Meadow Drive.
The special event will include more than one performance by the team’s cheerleaders, an address from players Mike Tuzzo and Darrik Bloomfield and comments by Head Coach Eric Jantzi, district officials and area dignitaries.
A bonfire will close out the festivities.
“We felt it was appropriate for the voice of the Lumberjacks, Mr. Dick Grapes, to serve as the emcee. He was excited about the opportunity and said he would clear his calendar on Wednesday even though it was short notice,” Fisher said.
The accomplishment can hardly be overemphasized at a school that has just won its first-ever state championship and Fisher said he expects there will be some sort of acknowledgment at the upcoming end-of-the-year football banquet, hosted by the North Tonawanda Football Hall of Fame.
In addition, a special banner hung above the front entrance of the school after Thanksgiving was updated Monday to reflect the win of all wins.
“It has been adjusted to read New York state football champions,” Fisher said.
Planning events as the team has progressed, he said, has thus far been handled on the fly. Not much planning could be done in advance. But with each win there was a subsequent flurry of e-mails between board members and administrators to make sure the team’s successes were properly recognized.
“We’ve been taking it one game at a time,” Fisher said.
Contact reporter Neale Gulley at 693-1000, ext. 114.
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