NANTICOKE, Pa. — Hearts were heavy at the Greater Nanticoke Area Trojan's Field during a moment of silence for their Head Coach, Scott Dennis, who suddenly passed away at his home on Tuesday.
The team pushed through the pain to play their first game in his honor.
"We decided to play this game primarily because we knew that's what Scott would want, and when we put it to the kids, they agreed," said Bob Ashton, Greater Nanticoke Area assistant coach.
"This is what coach would want; he wouldn't want us to focus on him; he'd want us to focus on the game," said Treston Allen, Captain.
Dennis returned to lead the Trojans after a decades-long coaching career. Returning to the field he called home, Friday would've been his first game as head coach here.
"He enjoyed coaching for the Nanticoke Trojans; he wanted to be at his alma mater, coming back to Nanticoke for his last years. Sadly, he couldn't finish them," said Manny Sosa, Captain.
"We had a poster yesterday that said good coaches change the football game, and great coaches change lives, and he was a great coach," added Allen.
Coach Dennis was respected by the players he taught and his opponents on the field.
"It's more important to teach our kids that, listen, it's high school football, and we wanna win and have a good time, but something more important happened this week. There's a loss of life, and we have to teach our kids that there's some more important things, and we have to respect that and respect a good man," said Greg Dolhon, North Pocono head coach.
As the players took the field, they kept Coach Dennis in mind. They'll carry his memory with them throughout every play this season.
"Play good football; that's how we're going to honor him, cause that's what he wanted, and we're going to stay disciplined, keep our mouth shut, and just play football," said Sosa.
A celebration of Dennis' life will take place at 1 p.m. Saturday at Saint John's United Church of Christ.