Large crowd on hand for Tigers' Homecoming game

Roger Varley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A crowd estimated at more than 800 gathered at the Uxbridge Secondary School sports field last Friday for what was billed as the Uxbridge Tigers' Homecoming football game. Such was the crowd that the parking lots of USS and Joseph Gould Public School were filled to capacity.

Photo by John Cavers

The game, the second home game for the newly formed Tigers, was played in ideal weather conditions under the lights provided by six portable lighting units set up around the field. There was a party atmosphere ahead of the game as fans feasted on hot dogs, had Tiger tattoos air-brushed on their skin, posed for pictures at a photo booth and purchased Tigers apparel.

Also on hand for the game were the Tigers cheerleading squad and a band called the Roar Squad, led by music teacher Amy Peck.

At the start of the game, the Tigers marched to the field in military formation and then broke through a large Tigers banner to run onto the field.

Facing off against Brooklin High School, however, the Tigers quickly found themselves down by two unconverted touchdowns. The home team managed to take the ball over the touchline to reduce the deficit, but Brooklin came back with another unconverted touchdown.

The Tigers scored a touchdown with a two-point conversion, taking the score to 18-15 at the half. Each time the Tigers scored, an Uxbridge fire department truck, on hand to lend support, blasted its horn. Unfortunately, the horn was heard no more as Brooklin won the game 24-15.

The Tigers could take comfort in the fact that they had put points on the scoreboard, unlike the previous week when they were defeated 48-0 by Paul Dwyer HS. The Tiger squad, formed just this summer under head coach Jeff Keeping, is the first football team USS has had in 13 years. It is composed of Grade 9 and Grade 10 students with little or no previous football experience. When the squad has played two seasons, they will become the senior team and a new junior squad will be formed.

Despite the final score, local fans appeared happy to see the return of football. For Keeping, the night was "absolutely fantastic."

This is a special community, but that level of engagement made it an extra special night," he said."It motivated the boys."

Keeping said that despite the loss ("you always want to win") he was impressed with his team's effort and togetherness.

"They've learned how to play the game and there is high commitment," he said.

Keeping said the team's next game is tonight (Thursday) in Oshawa when they meet Dwyer in the first game of the playoffs.