It’s a high school reunion; on turf. On Sat. Sept. 25, the Washington University Bears will face the Westminster College Blue Jays. Playing on each team are three CHS graduates.
Hal Lewis (CHS class of 2009), Adam Banks (2009), and Jake Lewis (2007) currently play for the Wash U. Bears, while Rodney Lyles (2007), Brandon Powell (2007) and Jared Neely (2007) play for Westminster.
Sophomore linebacker Hal Lewis is excited to face some of his former teammates.
“I am definitely looking forward to playing some former teammates on Westminster this Saturday,” Hal Lewis said. “It’s going to be an exciting game and a real dog fight.”
Similarly, junior defensive lineman Lyles is eager and quite confident about Saturday’s game.
“I feel good about going against my old teammates because they already know what I’m going to bring to the table,” Lyles said.  “So in other words, they better bring their A games.”
Despite the new uniforms, team mascot, schools, and teammates, each of these players began their football careers as Greyhounds.
Looking back on the years, each player had very fond memories of their high school football careers, ranging from gathering with teammates in the locker room to winning the state championship.
“I definitely think about beating “The Team to the West,” to quote Coach Horrell, year in and year out,” said junior offensive lineman Jake Lewis. “Especially my senior year when we were 1-4 going in against a 4-1 Ladue team to beat them by 30 points with Charter there broadcasting it.”
“I remember being a loose cannon, that always showed up on game day, despite my disruptive approach during practice,” Lyles said. “I actually think football is the only reason I graduated from CHS.”
Playing in college presented a new challenge to each of the players, becoming more of a time commitment and more like a job.
“College is a lot faster and more mentally challenging than high school,” said junior wide receiver Jared Neely. “The pace is a lot faster and the players are a lot stronger.”
Along with the faster pace, the college teams put more emphasis on skills and technique pertinent to a player’s specific position.
“Also, practice in college is only on one side of the ball, for me offense, so it has much more emphasis on technique and position specific periods with competition periods being heavy on the contact,” Jake Lewis said. “I love my position coach here at Wash U and he has really helped me develop my skills and technique to give me the confidence that I should never lose a one-on-one battle at this level.”
While the practices may be far more rigorous than those of a high school team, making it extremely difficult to balance school and athletics, football has benefited both the player’s college experience and work ethic.
“I have enjoyed college football but it is a lot more challenging than in high school,” Hal Lewis said. “It is extremely difficult to balance the college workload with sports… However, I think college football has ultimately improved my work ethic.”
Continuing to play with their high school teammates has enhanced the players’ experience, providing extra motivation as well as a foundation for stronger friendships.
“It’s great being able to play with my best friends,” Lyles said. “Us being on the same team and all wanting to be the best, makes us step our game up to the next level, just to impress or show the other friend up.”
Along with the bonds and memories between friends, brothers Hal and Jake Lewis have been able to improve their relationship through the sport.
“Playing with Hal is a lot of fun,” said Jake Lewis. “We have so much in common now being on the same football team as well as being in the same fraternity that he is one of my best friends, my brother, and my fraternity brother. I really root for him whenever he is in.”
Lyles had some advice for football players hoping to continue playing high school.
“Make sure you stay in your books, because without the grades, more than likely you’re not going to get a chance,” said Lyles.
Hal Lewis would advise current athletes “to work extremely hard in the weight room. It may not make much of a difference in high school but it is the difference between average and good football players in college. Also, never take high school football for granted.”
Jake Lewis would remind would-be college players that “ability alone is not enough. Every lineman in college is as big or bigger than the biggest lineman in high school. Every skill position player is as fast or faster and as good or better than any skill position player in high school.”
Despite the separate paths they have taken, the players will remain connected by their high school football experience together.
“We all will be greyhounds till the day we die,” said Lyles.