Persons Had Special Kind Of Wisdom

Contact with healthy, vibrant, young people makes covering high school athletics a pretty special way to make a living.

Every once in a while, however, the real world infringes on the playground. Those occasions, when they merit a story, are often dreaded.

That was the case a year ago when a story was needed on a young Colfax athlete who was paralyzed in a farm accident before his senior year.

But one afternoon with Jesse Persons replaced uneasy feelings with a memory that will last a lifetime. That was true for many people. That’s why so many were stunned last week when Jesse died from a blood clot in his lungs. He died four days after his 19th birthday and three weeks after his third back operation.

Jesse remained vibrant after his accident. His courage and strength were an inspiration. His faith was unshakable. The many people whose lives he touched are enriched by knowing him.

It is OK to cry for the loss of a special young man, but Jesse would be happier to know you celebrated life and living.

“As life comes head-on, you’ve got to take it with a positive attitude,” Jesse Persons said. “Being bitter and dissatisfied and angry towards the world doesn’t help at all… . I’m not too big now to do something, to tell somebody what I feel, or to show emotion… . It feels good. I think people should do it all the time. The world would be a better place.”

I know mine is for having known Jesse Persons.

Just reward

University coach Mike Ganey said he had no trouble concentrating on the Titans’ game with North Central despite his mother passing away earlier in the day in Buffalo, N.Y.

“Every time we had a game I would call her and ask her to say a prayer for us, for everyone to play their best and not get hurt,” he said. “She was 92, now she’s with Dad.”

Ganey was one of 10 children, four of whom were officers in the armed forces.

“She was a very saintly woman,” he said.

“I was blessed to have her as a mother. She loved sports.”

The Titans won the game 23-14.

Business as unusual

Chief Sealth football coach David Pandt went on the record with the Seattle Times saying he was unhappy a player he dismissed surfaced at Rainier Beach. The player was dressed when the two teams met Saturday.

“It really disappoints me that a kid can be dismissed from one team and be playing already for another team,” Pandt said. “It burns me up.”

We’ve seen that before the in GSL. Just last year a Ferris player ended up starting against the Saxons after doing the District 81 Shuffle.

Quick kicks

Coaches, you may want to call in your games, just to make sure we get it right.

Deer Park beat Lakeside 24-20 last weekend with the box score showing the Stags scored the last two touchdowns. Fair enough, except the last TD came on a kickoff return.

Turns out Lakeside scored with 16 seconds left for a 20-17 lead but Deer Park’s Ken Griffey returned the kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown for the wild win.

Central Valley coach Rick Giampietri was the Seattle Seahawks high school coach of the week for the Hawks’ game against the Oilers. The Washington State Coaches Association makes the selection and the NFL gives the program $500.

Lewiston and Clarkston met for the 100th time last Friday with the Bengals winning 38-21 for a 59-35-6 lead in the series.

Around the state

Richland, Kamiakin and Walla Walla were considered the Big Three in the Big Nine and they’ve already gotten their head-to-head matchups out of the way. Richland went 2-0 and Walla Walla 0-2 when the Blue Devils lost to Kamiakin 28-18 Friday. However, Richland lost to Davis 27-24 in overtime and Pasco suddenly leads the league.

Pasco is the third of five consecutive Big Nine foes to face GSL teams. The Bulldogs are at University on Friday.

In the past matchups, Davis lost a shootout to Mead but quickly fading Kennewick scored 29 points before losing to GSL favorite Central Valley.

By the way, highly touted Walla Walla quarterback Jared Jones finally got to play, but Kamiakin sacked him eight times. Although he hit 9 of 15 passes, the completions were good for just 95 yards.

A corrected score: Prosser over Eastmont 42-12… . Davis’ win was the first over Richland since 1969 (27 games) and gave the Pirates (2-2) hope for their first winning season since 1976. Shelton beat Centralia 31-30 by stopping a two-point conversion in overtime. Centralia was 0-5 on PATs… . Keegan Dougherty of Kentridge rushed for 247 yards on just seven carries in a 49-0 win over Auburn. He scored on runs of 90, 35 and 99 yards and returned an interception 41 yards for a TD… . Mount Baker’s Joe Schleimer was injured in the game in which teammate Jacob Prince set a state record for rushing with 422 yards three weeks ago. Schleimer returned last week and went for 308 and five TDs on 17 carries in a 64-3 win over King’s… . Two weeks ago Franklin beat Roosevelt 66-50. Last year Roosevelt won 64-48. Franklin’s Jesse Chatman ran for 323 yards and six touchdowns. , DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: GAMES OF THE WEEK The biggie is Reardan, No. 2 in B-11, at top-ranked Davenport at 7 p.m. Friday. Both teams are 4-0. In the GSL, Mead, hoping to rebound from its first loss, faces undefeated Gonzaga Prep at 8:30 Friday at Albi Stadium. LaCrosse-Washtunca plays at Colton on Friday at 7 in a rematch of B-8 powers. LW beat the Wildcats 46-44 last week.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Dave Trimmer The Spokesman-Review