NCHS' Logue anxious to return to field opening night

Randy Kindred rkindred@pantagraph.com | Posted: Friday, August 24, 2007 12:00 am | Loading…

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buy this photo Derek Logue runs through a drill during football practice at Normal Community High School in Norma on Wednesday (Aug. 22, 2007). (Pantagraph/B Mosher)

NORMAL - An injury in week five turned Derek Logue from starting center to cheerleader last year. Even that was a challenge with two torn ligaments in his ankle. | Football Fever | Photo gallery

As his Normal Community High School teammates surged to the Class 6A state football championship, Logue limped along the sideline in a cast/boot, supporting their every step.

"It was real frustrating," he said. "If the team was struggling or we couldn't move the ball, it was hard to watch because obviously you can't do anything to help your team. I wanted to be out there to give them a little extra push."

Logue got the boot off during the week of the state title game. He was able to suit up, but could not play in the Ironmen's 30-20 win over Batavia.

The 5-foot-10, 230-pounder would have to wait another nine months to snap the ball in a game.

His long journey back to the field ends tonight, when Logue, a senior co-captain, will start at center in the 7 o'clock season opener against Champaign Central at Champaign's Tommy Stewart Field.

"It's going to be great. I can't wait," he said of the first snap. "I think about it all the time because I'm so excited for it.

"I've played football since I was 8 years old. To not be able to play all of a sudden was tough."

Logue was injured early in a 42-7 victory over Champaign Centennial on Sept. 22. He said a player fell on the back of his ankle, and others jumped on top of the pile.

The injury did not require surgery, but …

"It brought my morale down a little bit," Logue said.

Others might have sulked. Instead, Logue put the team first, according to Coach Hud Venerable.

"He didn't let on out here in front of us how much it was eating him up inside," Venerable said. "But everybody felt for him, because he was playing really well when he went down. He looked like he was going to be one of the top centers in the (Big 12) conference as a junior."

Logue figures to be among the league's best this season. Venerable called him "the anchor of our offensive line" and "an important part of what we're doing."

The Ironmen are likely to run frequently behind Logue. They have four senior running backs - Dan Moore, Austin Davis, Joey Anderson and Kennedy Freeman - who are capable of piling up big yardage.

Logue is among three returning starters on the offensive line, joining seniors Billy Dickson (6-6, 280) and Mark Steadman (6-1, 215). Venerable expects him to be a stabilizing force, and not just physically.

"Derek is really a good leader," he said. "The players really respect his toughness and his leadership."

Logue is eager to provide both, saying, "Since I missed playing those games last year, I want to experience that this year. It's kind of my motivation right now, to help the team get back to that point (the state championship)."

"I was still with the team and still felt a part of it last year. But I'd like to have been able to play," Logue added. "The biggest thing this year for me is getting to play with these guys."

A season to remember

To view a photo gallery of Normal Community's state championship winning performance, click here.

Posted in Sports on Friday, August 24, 2007 12:00 am Updated: 2:57 pm.

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