By Craig Urey
SELINSGROVE — Gray skies, a 28-degree chill and an inch of snow did nothing to dampen the festive mood in Selinsgrove on Saturday. Hundreds of people gathered in the Selinsgrove Area High School parking lot — and hundreds more lined the streets — to honor the school’s football team, which won the PIAA AAA football championship game in Hershey the night before.
Much like the way the Seals’ defense helped the team plow its way to the state title, two borough trucks plowed the parade route ahead of a convoy of fire trucks and two flatbeds carrying the football and cheerleading teams. For residents and team supporters lined the parade route, some waving signs and all cheering the 62 members of Selinsgrove’s most successful football team ever, the weather was not a factor.
For at least one, it was a bonus.
“Even today, when it’s snowing, it just adds to the celebration,” Linda Youngman, of Selinsgrove, said as she waited for the parade to pass by her spot on Broad Street.
Youngman is not related to anyone on the team, but has a granddaughter who is a school athlete and came out to show her support for the entire school.
“We’re just one big happy family,” she said.
That sense of unity was shared by many on Saturday.
“I just love the way this team has united the community,” said Hummels Wharf resident Mike Engle, who attended the game and the second of two parades.
Saturday’s daylight parade followed one in the wee hours of the morning, after the team returned from Hershey at about 1 a.m.
A state championship and two parades in a little over 12 hours was a little overwhelming for players.
Seth Lauver, who scored the Seals’ winning touchdown with just 1:47 left in the game, was basking in the shared glory of team and community.
“It’s ridiculous how much support we get from out community,” he said after second parade. “Even at 1 or 2 in the morning, there was almost as big a turnout as today.”
For football parent Bill Wenrich, whose son, Matt, plays fullback, Saturday brought a sense of relief along with the celebration.
“This ends two months of chest pains,” he joked. “I didn’t enjoy the blowouts and I didn’t enjoy the close games. I’m starting to think I don’t like high school football.”
But the member of the football boosters club probably will find it hard to give up the habit.
“It’s been a good ride,” Wenrich said. “The community support is unbelievable. It could be 30 below and snowing, and people would still be out here.”
For coach Dave Hess, the support runs both ways.
“Our kids love their families. They just love the support they get from the community, and they just eat it up,” he said. “When we’re on the field, our crowd is just thundering down over us all the time. I think our kids feed off that and I think the community feeds off what the kids give.”
For some families, the victory gives added holiday ornamentation.
“This is a great Christmas present,” Cathy Keiser said. “Two golds to go with a silver.”
She was referring to the two gold medals her sons, Ryan and Justin, just brought home from Hershey to go with the silver medal she brought home as coach of Selinsgrove’s state runner-up field hockey team.
“It’s just way cool,” she said of the how the community throws its support behind all its athletic programs. The show of support may be more tiring than the games themselves.
“There was a parade last night, we had about two hours sleep and there was a parade again this morning,” Hess said.
While Friday’s victory may have brought Selinsgrove’s first state title, it was not the team’s first parade.
Engle recalled another procession through the town in 1979. The occasion: When Selinsgrove beat arch-rival Shikellamy for the first time in 13 years.
Now many players and classmates from that era have children on today’s team.
“I guess it’s come full circle,” he said.
