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Chiefs honor McLouth High coach

By Shawn Linenberger - | Nov 2, 2005

High school teams aren’t the only squads taking notice of McLouth’s breakthrough season.

The Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday announced Harry Hester as their high school coach of the week after Hester’s Bulldogs beat the previously undefeated Pleasant Ridge Rams on Oct. 21 and won Delaware Valley League and district titles.

During a pep rally Thursday afternoon, former Chiefs player Tony Adams and team representative Jeremy Slavens presented Hester with several goodies — a hat, a football with Hester’s name and the Pleasant Ridge-McLouth score on it, and shirts for all of Hester’s coaches and players. The football had logos from other game of the week sponsors as well, such as Gatorade, Metro Sports and Yellow.

Oh, and representatives presented Hester with a check for $500 that will go toward the McLouth football program.

“We’ll take that,” Hester said. “That’s probably, to me, the best part. We can buy some things the kids want, probably use it toward that.”

What “that” is, Hester isn’t quite sure.

“I haven’t really thought about it yet,” Hester said. “It all was fabulous.

“I’m still kind of speechless. I don’t know what to say.”

Hester’s players were a bit speechless as well. The pep rally was billed as a ceremony for the football team before its final regular season game against Maur Hill.

Unbeknownst to the players beforehand, the team was surprised to see its coach recognized for the honor.

“We kind of kept it hush-hush so they didn’t know,” Hester said. “They were pretty excited about it. It was probably one of the best pep rallies we’ve had.”

Later that day, McLouth defeated Maur Hill, 54-0, and put the finishing touches on an undefeated regular season.

As for the award, Hester said it was a testament to his team.

“I think it’s recognition for our program, for our kids, more so than an award for me,” Hester said. “Every award we get is an award for our program.”