HEYEN: Port Clinton has plenty to be thankful for

PORT CLINTON — It was just a coincidence, of course. Beau Carmon and the rest of Port Clinton's coaching staff didn't schedule their Thanksgiving morning practice based upon a famous line from 'A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.' But because it was Thursday, it was special teams day, which would've made Lucy very happy. "One of the greatest traditions we have is the Thanksgiving Day football game," Lucy says in the classic Charlie Brown special. "And the biggest, most important tradition of all is the kicking off of the football." Port Clinton spent much of the first hour of its practice Thursday kicking the football, either with placekicker Andrew Hanson or punter Adam Thorbahn. They both were surely thankful that Lucy wasn't there to pull the ball out of the way at the final moment as they readied for the Redskins' (13-1) state semifinal matchup Friday night in Euclid against Youngstown Ursuline (10-3). After the special teams portion of practice, Port Clinton ran through its usual routine of offensive and defensive game planning, putting the finishing touches on what PC hopes will take it to the state title game. But even if it all ends Friday night, Port Clinton will have plenty to be thankful for. PC's head coach, Carmon, had spent his whole coaching career hoping to lead a high school team's Thanksgiving Day practice. It would mean a deep, deep run into the postseason. He just didn't picture it quite like Thursday. "It's a little rainier and colder than I would've liked it," Carmon said. Not that he was complaining. "I wouldn't trade it for anything," Carmon said. "It's a privilege and an honor." "It was a perfect practice to me," senior running back Garrett Cornell added. "Great weather. It's nice outside." Gratitude has been a constant theme in recent weeks for the Redskins. As quarterback Cam Gillum did a postgame interview after beating Perkins in the regional semifinal, drenched in cold rain and wind, he said he'd play in that weather 1,000 times if it meant he got to keep playing football. Recently, senior receivers Josh Hurst and Tyler Webb both said they wouldn't trade this run for anything. For a different program, one that's made it to the state final four before, maybe these proceedings would seem old hat. But in Port Clinton, they've been thankful every step along the way as they've navigated uncharted territory. "They need to understand who they're representing," Carmon said. "Now we're representing Region 14. We're representing the Sandusky Bay Conference. We're representing northwest Ohio." Port Clinton's players are often quick to hand off gratitude to others. The offensive skill position guys consistently praise the offensive line without prompting. The O-line in turn showers compliments on the skill position players. The defensive standouts point to others making their jobs easier, be it the players right beside them or the coaching staff that put them in the right spot. This is a group that knows that it takes a village, truly. The entire Port Clinton community, formidable fans through thick and thin, have rallied behind this historic team, too. There wasn't any room to move around in the visiting stands in Findlay last week at the regional final, which may have been a good thing — they could all huddle for warmth. And a quick jaunt through downtown Port Clinton reveals that "PC pride" runs deep. Businesses left and right have their windows decorated with encouraging messages for the football team. The Port Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce windows proclaim "PC Proud," "Final 4" and "Go Skins!" Across Madison Street, a window at The Brick House encourages Port Clinton to "Hustle Hit Never Quit." A number of storefronts, including Sloopy's, Studio E and McCarthy's, implore the Redskins to "Beat the Irish." And there's plenty of "Let's go Big Red" scrawled around town, too. "That's great that our cheerleaders and our businesses support us," Carmon said. "That's what a small town should do, and Port Clinton does a great job with that. A very tight-knit community that's supportive of all our student-athletes." Downtown Port Clinton was empty on Thursday around noon as rain continued to fall, and it would remain so for the rest of the day as the Redskins went their separate ways to feast. Cornell, whose favorite holiday is Thanksgiving, would join his mother's side of the family and planned on putting down plenty of cheesy potatoes. Carmon ensured that as long as he could put gravy on it, he'd eat it. "Good God, I love the food," Carmon said. "... If you can put gravy on it, it's good." And come Friday afternoon, when the Redskins board the bus to head east to Euclid, those same families that enjoyed each other's company indoors on Thanksgiving will line the streets of downtown Port Clinton. They'll cheer on their high school football team as it departs town, putting voice to those window writings. PC's players will hear the voices, too. They've heard them all along. It's why they're quick to turn to the stands and lift their arms to the sky after a big play. It is, and always has been, about so much more than the 11 players on the field at a given time. And so no matter what happens, Port Clinton is all in this together. Not just the players, or the coaches, or the school. But the whole community, on a ride it has never taken before. That sure is something to be thankful for.