The Devil you know
may be better than
the Devil you Don't

This is my third year of doing the Knights Web Site. And during that time I have never used this site to express my personal feelings. But at this point of the most unbelievable football experience Kaneland has ever witnessed I cannot refrain myself from expressing my excitement of having our team play Spring Valley Hall on their field in a winner-take-all game.

You see, playing football in Spring Valley is like nothing else Kaneland has ever experienced. There is no place in mid-America like Nesti stadium or Red-Devil stadium as some call it. And as a father who has a son on the team I am thrilled that he and his teammates will have the opportunity to experience such a unique moment at such a critical time in their quest for greatness.

For winning back-to-back championships without going through Hall would be like going to the Black Hills and not seeing Mount Rushmore. Or getting a hole-in-one when no one's around. Or having Christmas without presents .

But why is Spring Valley Hall so special you ask? Well, first of all, it's the fans.

Red Devil fans are passionate about their football. They come out in force, wearing a sea of Red and white. As a matter of fact their stadium holds 5000 people, probably the largest 3A seating capacity in the state. Yet many Hall fans have to sit on the visitor's side because there isn't even standing room available on their side of the field.

As a Red Devil fan they are intense and dedicated to their football team. They may be a bit intimidating and rowdy at times but they love their football. They feel they are the ultimate FANS, and have a history of stories of providing creative ways to help their team.

The second thing about Red Devil football is the where they play.

When you enter Nesti Stadium it's like you traveled back in time. All the way back to the 1930's! The main home stands are made of brick and mortar. The playing field looks well used and beaten. Wires are loosely strung between light standards, which may leave you wondering what keeps them up.

The old wooden bleachers for the visitors are weather beaten but enormous. They push right up to the playing field just inches from the players. As a matter of fact the stands are so close to the players that one can almost reach out and touch the team. Even thought the seating is impressive no matter where you are, you will feel like you are almost on the field.

And to add to the intimidation, there high on top of the Press Box directly in front of the visiting team is a huge Red Devil looking down at you.

The place makes you wonder if you have slipped back in time and if the teams are going to come out wearing cardboard helmets.

This will be the largest crowd to ever witness a Kaneland football game outside of the state Championship. The noise factor will like nothing Knights fans and players have ever experience before. And if or when Hall scores fireworks will explode in the sky. It is exciting - fun football. It's an adventure everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime.

Just getting pass the ticket booth can take twenty minutes. The pork chop sandwiches are great, (provided you can make it to the concession stand.) And once inside and the games begins the place just rocks. Even the local radio station can be exasperating to the casual fan.

And finally there's the team.

The Red Devils have a great football history. Just recently for example in 1995 they won the 3A State Championship. In 1996 they were runners up. And last year they were on a collision course with Kaneland when they lost in the quarterfinals by one point. And this year they have won 8 games in row to earn the right to play the Knights.

They are a solid team that has creative labels like Nate "Psycho Road Dog" Chandler and the "Hog Soldiers". They will test the iron of the Knights defense and attack the Knights balanced offense. It is a team that will require the Knights to be up for the game and force them to play with the emotion and intensity of a championship game.

It will be fun. It will be intense. It will be exciting. And it will be special. And Win, lose or draw, when it is all over and final horn sounds, every person there will realize they have experienced IT.

And no matter what else happens in life - being part of the Kaneland-Spring Valley Hall Semi-Finals game at Red Devil Stadium on a chilly November afternoon will be a moment in time that will live on forever....

and something I know my son will carry with him the rest of his life.