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Football Game Scores Big For Girl With Cancer
By Keith Hagarty
After the frenzied waving of pom-poms, bruised bodies colliding and touchdowns scored, Jackson's firefighters and police came away from their third annual Jackson flag football game having raised over $3,000 for a local girl stricken with cancer.
Although the day began ominously as the rain threatened to cancel the game, the chilly temperatures, brisk wind and smell of hot cocoa in the air brought over 200 people to the game, providing optimal conditions for a good old fashioned battle on the gridiron.
"It was a decent turnout considering the weather and considering the fact that we were thinking about canceling it altogether," said John Pejoski, school resource officer for the Jackson police department.
The money raised will benefit 9 year old St. Aloysius School student Courtney Hughes and her family, who were all in attendance at the game. Courtney, her sister, Megan, and their parents each received team football jerseys from both the police and firefighters.
"She had a blast," Pejoski said of Courtney's
fan involvement during the game. "Just a great time."
Because of the adverse weather conditions early on Saturday, Jackson Memorial High School officials did not want to further ruin the field and asked the game's organizers to move the site of the game. The school's to move the site of the game. The school's varsity football team will host an upcoming playoff game and officials did not want to risk any further damage to the field's playing conditions.
"Initially the thought was, let's cancel the game," said Pejoski.
However, the site of the event was quickly moved to the Jackson Pop Warner fields at the Jackson Justice complex and went off without a hitch, kicking off just after 7 p.m.
"They were fantastic," Pejoski said of the Jackson Pop Warner officials, singling out Mark Bruecel, the president of the Pop Warner. "They said absolutely we could use their fields, so we were back on."
Holding the game last Saturday was made even more important to the organizers as Courtney is scheduled to be in the hospital to receive treatments.
"That was the other catalyst to get us to try and find a spot and get the game going for them," said Pejoski. "Thankfully everything worked out."
As far as the game goes, the Jackson PBA 168 (Police Benevolence Association) won for the first time by a score of 21-13. As the place kicker for the police team, Pejoski was not shy about mentioning his contribution to the winning effort.
"I was busting everyone's chops because the 14th point, the game winning point for us was the point after attempt that I kicked," Pejoski said chuckling, also noting Patrolman Mitch Kafton's dazzling reception setting up the PBA's first touchdown of the game.
"Plus, I have to give credit to my placeholder,
Bert Salisbury," said Pejoski. "Without him I wouldn't have been able to kick that ball."
Despite the good-natured tone of the day, Pejoski admits the competitive spirit was high.
"It was nice to hoist a trophy this year," he said.
Pejoski praised the efforts of everyone involved in the game and those who helped accommodate the location move, including Township Recreation Director Ann Alberta, the girls varsity cheerleading squad from Jackson Memorial High School, Reverend Dan Schaeffer who performed the invocation, the Flemming Family who own Jackson Hardware, Bil- Jin Construction and the township council and Mayor Mark Seda for helping the day go forward.
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