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Former Pioneer and Redskin players fulfilled their hopes of putting on the pads and the uniform one more time to compete in a game they love. Friends, family and football fans, despite a little bit of ragged play at times, had a good time watching. But most of all, the programs at each school divided $10,000 in revenue generated by the game.

All of those factors lead to a repeat performance that will happen this Saturday, July 21, this time at Pioneer Stadium in Croswell. Kick-off is set for 7 p.m.

A year ago, over 100 former players, ages 18 to nearly 50, from the two, old county rivals, divvied out the playing fee and suited up in front of a large crowd at Sandusky's Woodard Field. The results were a rather entertaining game that saw the Pioneer alumni team hold on for a 22-14 victory. The game, this year, has added a sponsor - Eastern Michigan Bank. The local business, which has offices in Croswell and Sandusky, has made a donation to both programs.

Both sides have gathered another good number of players again, many returning from a year ago and many more waiting for their first block or tackle since their high school days.

Chris Zielinski, a current assistant coach with the Pioneer varsity football team, actually is not quite sure home many players he will field since the squad's first practices were not set until this week.

"There's about 30 that have called to sign-up," said Zielinski, a former C-L player that graduated in 1989. "But, a lot of people know about it that really haven't called in. You here people talking about it, so the words out. We're hoping to have 50 or 60 (show up at practice). The 30 that have called in are mostly new players."

Brad Bays, Sandusky head coach, is looking for decent numbers again, too.

"We have 35 guys right now," remarked Bays before his team's first practice this past weekend," but I think we will get to 45-50." He added, "The guys are still fired up, they're excited. We'll probably have about 35 guys back from last year's team and about 15 new ones....We're still looking for a few more guys, though." Bays, a lineman for the Redskins in the Ô93-94 seasons, said he is suiting up this year. He didn't play last summer because his wife was due to give birth to their new son.

In last year's contest, the Pioneers jumped out quickly to a 22-0 lead. The Redskins battled back and had a chance to tie the game late but were stopped on downs at the C-L nine yard line in the final two minutes.

The Pioneers, last year, received a replica, of sorts, of the ÔTurrel Keg' - the coveted prize that both schools battled for on the high school playing field 61 times between 1931 and 2004. The traditional game has been dropped from the schedule because of the widening margin of school enrollment between the two. (Cros-Lex has approximately 783 students in the high school compared to Sandusky's 409)

That replica is on the minds of the Redskins.

"These guys would like to get that," assured Bays. "We played pretty good in the second half last year, actually from the second quarter on, and it came down to a fourth down play."

Zielinski knows his group is anxious to repeat. "The guys can't wait for (the game) to happen again. The ones that played last year, I know, are ready."

Both teams may use two different offensive schemes. In recent years, Cros-Lex has gone to a spread offense that throws the ball often. With several players returning from those years, expect to see the ball in the air with that group. Before the Ôspread' attack, most C-L offenses were based on the running game. There could be a little of the Ôveer' if former All-State quarterback Allan Vincent returns. Vincent, a 2000 grad, was an outstanding running threat in the option attack.

"We're hoping to get Allan Vincent back," said Zielinski. "He was in Pennsylvania last year...and that's why he didn't play, but it's possible this year."

Zielinski also noted that several others did not play a year ago because of other rather pressing commitments. Dave Wood's (Ô97) wedding landed on the same day and took away several ex-Pioneer gridders.

One of the returning players is Mark Vincent, a 1983 grad, who may be C-L's oldest player this year. "He'll be the oldest...unless someone else shows up," said Zielinski.

Bays has last year's oldest returning player back in Jim Sanchez (1979), but Bays added, "We have a new oldest guy - Jim Hale." Hale actually has not played football since his junior year in 1971. He sat out the Ô72 season with an injury.

With each player paying a $50 fee to participate and a gate charge of $5 for fans, both schools are hoping to, at least, approach last year's fund-raising total.

Bays commented, "We raised $5,000 (each team) last year. We hope for the same, but whatever we get will be something we don't have now. Actually, maybe we'll make a little more since it's at Cros-Lex (the bigger school)...they may get a bigger crowd."

Zielinski added that he has been trying to ensure a large turnout. "We're hoping for a big crowd. It would be nice to have over 1,000 people. We know, being July, and vacations scheduled, that some people will be out of town. But, we've advertised the game pretty good in the Croswell and Lexington areas, so we're hoping people come out and support the two programs."

The concession stand will be open for the fans. Profits from the concession, like last year, go to the host school. This year, the concession stand will benefit the Cros-Lex cheerleading program.

2007 Cros-Lex/Sandusky Alumni Football Game Rosters

(Players signed up as of 7-14-07; more expected this week)

Sandusky Redskins

Tony Allen, Brad Bays, Darin Bays, Mark Dimon, Michael Monzo, Derek Hoff, Nate Rose, Ricky Tank, Marc Loding, Steven Gangler;

Matt Steinkopf, Dan Tanton, Todd Tanton, Sean Jones, Jim Hale, Pete Northrop, Chad Blank, Mike Stoliker, Brandon Blank, Matt Jensen;

Matt Smith, Ryan Spiegel, Tim Mata, Jim Sanchez, Nate Benavides, Bob Anderson, John Anton, Bob Schiller, Mike Gerstenberger, Troy Tank; Wally Phillips, Paul Gerstenberger, Anthony Gangler;

Cros-Lex Pioneers