ALEX KAUFMAN
Staff Writer
Amidst the hustle and bustle of move-in day for the spring semester, the football team had its banquet to commemorate their strong performance and to send off the senior class.
“It was awesome to reflect on how far we have come since freshman year,” running back Jordan Patterson ’16 said. “Our growth speaks volumes about the sport.”
Patterson is right about the program’s growth, as this group of seniors was part of three consecutive winning seasons, a mark of consistent success not seen since 1984-86.
The event began at 6 p.m. in the Curtis Veggie Room, ushered in by a speech from Denison athletic director Nan Carney-DeBord. After her speech, the dinner began, complete with a spread fit for an entire football team. Entrees were parmesan-crusted chicken and prime rib, along with a slew of sides and desserts.
Over the next three hours, the senior class was recognized, awards were given out, and head coach Jack Hatem gave his final remarks to the soon-to-be graduates.
“I think what stood out for me was just the pure love and admiration the coaches, especially coach Hatem, have for all his players,” safety Andrew Baird ’17 said. “At the banquet, Coach Hatem opened with an emotional response involving the season, stating something like ‘When time ran out after we beat Kenyon, I didn’t want this season to be over. This is my favorite team I have ever coached and I wish we could’ve been together for 10 more weeks.’”
Each outgoing senior received a personalized collage. A complete list of awards and winners is below, courtesy of Baird. Among those awarded was Clayton Bishop ’16, who never missed a game, practice, or lift over his four years atop the hill.
After watching highlight film from the fall season, the banquet came to an end just shy of 9 p.m., a well-deserved celebration for a football family.