|
The
Buck(s)
Stop Here
9/6/2006
It is not uncommon to see father/son acts in the world
of Sport. Peyton and Eli Manning have made their father,
former New Orleans QB Archie Manning very proud.
Everyone has heard of
Barry Bonds, but many remember his father Bobby as a
great ballplayer as well. And don’t forget Brett Hull
and Bobby Hull.
And in the HS ranks,
often the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, either.
But rarely do you see a father and son team play for the
same High School, much less play football for the same
HS. And when you consider both were defensive stalwarts,
both led their teams to gaudy records, and both were
All-State performers…well, now you have a story.
Most remember Josh Buck,
class of 2004 and his senior year in which the Wildcats
were 12-1, as they captured KVC, District, and Regional
Championships, and were just inches from the ‘Dome.’ To
this day, not a week goes by without someone asking if
Buck had the ball on the last play against Brother Rice,
might not the Wildcats have won it all. Just the week
before against powerful Detroit MacKenzie, Buck’s
heroics at fullback helped win the Regional in the
waning seconds.
A 3-year starter and
difference-maker on both sides of the ball, Buck also
helped lead his team to the District Championship, a
thriller over Lake Orion in 2002, and was a key factor
on a playoff team as a sophomore.
Perched at every game was
his father Ron Buck. Yes, it had been 30 years earlier,
but I bet you could just picture him wreaking havoc on
opposing ballcarriers as well. When Sam Eggleston and
the Novi News announce the all-time Novi/Northville
team, Ron Buck was named Captain of the Defense, and
they gave him the moniker, “Defensive Stalwart.’ A
three-year starter as well, Father Buck played on some
undefeated teams, and unfortunately they didn’t have
playoffs then but Ron was candid when he told me that
Novi would’ve taken on all comers!
In fact, around that time
in the mid ‘70s, famed Hudson High School was gaining
national recognition by winning over 54 games in a row,
but legend has it that when Novi extended a challenge to
line-up against the Wildcats, the Hudson Tigers politely
declined!
When they write the
history books covering the annals of Novi Wildcat
football, there will be a chapter covering Ron Buck and
Josh Buck.
Like Father, Like Son… In
Wildcat Country.
(C) 2006 Novi Information
Network
All rights reserved.
Bernie
Fratto's
column appears right here each
week during the football season.
Bernie is a member of the Minor League Baseball Alumni Association
and in his former life, he spent time in the Cincinnati Reds Farm
System. He is an accomplished Freelance writer, and sought after keynote
speaker, appearing often at Award Ceremonies, Athletic Banquets, and
Company functions.
He is passionate about sports and the life-lessons
they teach. "Behind every sports story lies the hearts and minds of real
human beings," Fratto said..."And these athletic endeavors often serve
as a metaphor for the game we call life."
Bernie is also on the broadcast team at Live 97.1FM talk-radio, and is a
frequent
co-host on the popular "Parker &
The Man Show," a nightly sportstalk show which airs Monday-Friday from
7-11pm.
|
Wildcat
Football Links
NoviFootball.org
2006 Schedule
Novi High School
Novi HS Athletics
MHSAA
Team History
Novi Athletic Boosters
Big Day
Friday Night Lights
photo by Alex Prasad
Wildcats in Action
photo by Alex Prasad |
