CARROLLTON - Sometimes events happen that go beyond the big athletic contest. One such thing happened before the start of the Carrollton-Camp Point Central IHSA Class 1A football game Saturday when players, coaches, the band and fans stopped for a moment of silence.
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The moment of silence was for a Camp Point player and his father. Jim Boehler, father of Clayton Boehler, a Camp Point running back, died on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2017, at his residence. The moment was quite moving before battle ensued on the field. Clayton Boehler was No. 27 for Camp Point Central.
Camp Point Central Principal Jeff Waggener said the football team considers each other family and the team members, coaches, athletic director and others went to the young man’s house to comfort him after learning of the tragic loss of his father.
“Brad Dixon, our head coach, preaches family and the team is there through the good things and bad things,” the athletic director said.
Waggener said there weren’t any huge assemblies this week for the Camp Point students and team before Carrollton. He said they wait until they get through these first-round games before they do that and in recent years, the program has been quite successful.
Carrollton Athletic Director Mark Beatty said the following about the death of the Camp Point player's father.
"We saw on social media that one of the CPC player’s father had passed away on Thursday afternoon," Beatty said. "Coach Flowers and I talked on Friday afternoon and thought it would be respectful to offer a moment of silence prior to the National Anthem. I contacted Matt Long (AD) and Coach Dixon at CPC for their input and approval of the moment of silence wording."
"That’s what really sets Coach Nick Flowers apart from most coaches. I want to give credit to him for deciding to do the moment of silence. He seeks to teach our Hawks how to be quality young men first, great football players second. He is very involved at the JFL level and develops those relationships when the boys are in fifth and sixth grade. He is involved in our 'student of the month' assemblies at the grade school each month when the school recognizes students for their positive choices and achievement in the classroom. It all sets the stage for continual success on and off the football field for our Hawks."
Before the game, there were men from Camp Point out barbecuing in the parking lot before the game, which is something that has become a standard in recent years.
One of the men said the tailgating before the game is something he has been involved in for seven or eight years. Carrollton barbecued and prepared in its own right for the concession stand that always has delicious food for playoff games.
The end of the game was heartbreaking for Camp Point and Carrollton fans were filled with joy, but as players and fans trudged off the field, they realized that this had been more than a football game. It was a contest hard-fought, but yet at the same time a demonstration of sportsmanship and compassion at its finest between two athletic teams.
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