Fury meets faith: Illinois coaches preach football, devotion
Posted September 28, 2019 7:00 am
ROCHESTER, Ill. (AP) - It's all football during the 10th annual Leonard Bowl.
The matchup Friday was between the Illinois' winningest high school football coach, Ken Leonard of Sacred Heart-Griffin, who boasts five state championships, and the Rochester Rockets, who have seven titles under coach Derek Leonard, the legend's son.
But to get to this point, players in both programs are schooled in the Leonards' credo: faith first, family second, and then football.
On Friday, Rochester won 56-21 and now trail in the series 7-3.
Rochester football coach Derek Leonard addresses his team after a 56-21 victory over Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin, coached by his father, Ken Leonard, in the 10th âLeonard Bowl,â Friday, Sept. 27, 2019, in Rochester, Ill. The annual fall classic is built around the credo âfaith, family and football.â (AP Photo/John OâConnor)
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Rochester quarterback Clay Bruno (5) watches the clock tick down on a 56-21 victory over rival Sacred Heart-Griffin, Friday, Sept. 27, 2019, in Rochester, Ill., in the âLeonard Bowlâ between teams coached by Derek Leonard and his father, Ken. Bruno says both programs are built on the credo âfaith, family and football,â and that the coaches show their players that life is bigger than football. (AP Photo/John OâConnor)
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Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin football coach Ken Leonard addresses his team after a 56-21 loss to Rochester, coached by his son, Derek Leonard, Friday, Sept. 27, 2019, in Rochester, Ill., in the 10th âLeonard Bowl.â The annual fall classic is built around the credo âfaith, family and football.â (AP Photo/John OâConnor)
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In this Sept. 25, 2019, photo, Sacred Heart-Griffin High School football coach Ken Leonard watches his team practice, in Springfield, Ill., as the team prepares for its showdown with Rochester High School, coached by Leonard's son, Derek, in what's become known as the "Leonard Bowl." Between them, Ken Leonard's SHG Cyclones and his son's Rochester Rockets have 12 state championships while they spread their credo of "faith, family and football." (AP Photo/John O'Connor)
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In this Sept. 19, 2019, photo, Rochester, Ill., High School football coach Derek Leonard discusses in his office, how the struggle and sacrifice of football disappears when a player learns he is doing it for a greater purpose, team and victory, as his squad was preparing for its showdown with Springfield, Ill., Sacred Heart-Griffin High School, coached by Leonard's father, Ken. Ken Leonard is the winningest high school football coach in Illinois history. (AP Photo/John O'Connor)
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Rochester fans wearing T-shirts that read âFaith, Family and Footballâ file into their home stadium, Friday, Sept. 27, 2019, for the annual âLeonard Bowlâ high school football game against Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin High School, in Rochester, Ill. Rochester is coached by Derek Leonard and SHG by his father, Ken Leonard, who share 12 state high school football championships between them but keep their football programs grounded in the faith, family and football credo. (AP Photo/John OâConnor)
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Rochester football coach Derek Leonard disputes a call in the âLeonard Bowlâ between his team and Sacred Heart-Griffin High School of Springfield, coached by his father, Ken Leonard, Friday, Sept. 27, 2019, in Rochester, Ill. Rochester won 56-21, but trails in the series 7-3. (AP Photo/John OâConnor)
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In this Sept. 19, 2019, photo, Sacred Heart-Griffin High School football coach Ken Leonard explains that the most successful coaches are people who "know what they don't know, and then learn it," in his office in Springfield, Ill. Leonard, the winningest high school football coach in Illinois history, was preparing his Cyclones for their showdown with Rochester High School, coached by Leonard's son, Derek, in what's become known as the "Leonard Bowl." Between them, Ken Leonard's SHG Cyclones and his son's Rochester Rockets have 12 state championships while they spread their credo of "faith, family and football." (AP Photo by John O'Connor)
The Associated Press
In this Sept. 24, 2019, photo, coach Derek Leonard watches his Rochester, Ill., High School football team practice, in Rochester, as it prepares for its showdown with Springfield, Ill., Sacred Heart-Griffin High School coached by Leonard's father, Ken, in what's become known as the "Leonard Bowl." Ken Leonard is the winningest high school football coach in Illinois history and between them, his SHG Cyclones and his son's Rochester Rockets have 12 state championships while they spread their credo of "faith, family and football." (AP Photo/John O'Connor)
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