'His character shows in all of us'

Oct. 13—Creston High's historic football team boasts a record-breaking 25 seniors, but there's a 26th in their hearts.

In 2018, Kevin, Amy, Sterling and Adrianna Sharp were involved in a tragic accident in Mexico, resulting in all four deaths. Though it's been five years, Sterling's classmates haven't forgotten him.

"We've dedicated our whole season to them," senior defensive back Dillon Starlin said. "It's been our motto — for the 12th man. We have bracelets. We really have dedicated this season to him."

Beth Fry, Sterling's grandma, didn't know until the first game they would be dedicating this season to her grandson.

"It's emotional. I can't appreciate those boys enough for remembering Sterling because they have been friends since almost birth," she said. "They are truly his best friends. It means the world to me that they are doing this to honor them. I don't even have words to say how much it means to me. It's a blessing."

Character

There's one thing everyone agrees — Sterling is remembered for his kindness.

"I remember him as a really nice kid," senior lineman Max Chapman said. "He was always nice to everyone, never had anything negative to say. We'd show off our dance moves in junior padded league. He was always really nice to everyone, and that's what I try to remember when I'm dealing with underclassmen, a problem with freshman, something like that."

Starlin said Sterling had a heart of gold. "He's the kindest person you've ever met," he said. "He didn't talk back, never got in fights, he accepted everyone for who we were no matter what. I just think his character shows in all of us. I think we all try to be good role models for the younger students and just impact everybody how he impacted us."

Senior Gavin Bolton said he remembers Sterling's contagious smile. "He was always a nice kid, I really enjoyed talking to him," he said. "I feel like everyone just plays like he's out there with us. I know he's out there with us."

Senior Bryce Hull spent time having fun at basketball practice with Sterling. "We'd practice and go hard, but we'd also have fun," Hull recounted. "He was a fun person to be around. I got to hang out with him a lot in elementary and middle school. He was a high quality person."

A neighbor to the Sharps growing up, senior Lincoln Keeler said Sterling was always trying to put a smile on someone's face. "He was an easy person to get along with," Keeler said. "He was a big part of me, and he meant a lot to me."

Fry has many fond memories of her grandson, and said he was a high energy kid. "He had a mind of his own. When he made his mind up to do something, he did it," she said. "He was all about sports. He hunted, fished, he did everything. He was extremely smart in school. He was funny, always trying to pull jokes on everybody. He was just my best bud."

Sterling Sharp, 2018

Chapman explained it isn't so much about Sterling's passing as it is about his presence. "It was a long time ago and he might have not even stayed out for football, you know. But he was still one of our brothers and ever since we were younger, our class has been pretty close as peers," Chapman said. "It goes a lot deeper than we're just doing this for Sterling. There's a bigger cause. We're doing this for everybody that never got to see what we've accomplished so far."

Coaches

Though Sterling is missing on the field, there are two missing on the sidelines. Sterling's dad Kevin and senior Dylan Calvin's dad Joe, were both youth coaches before their passings.

"It didn't matter what your last name was or who you were or what your home life was, when you went out there, you were going to get coached by a coach that genuinely cared about you," Chapman recounted. "You knew when Kevin or Joe was trying to help you with something, they actually did it because they cared about you."

Fry remembers Kevin and Joe believing in this group of seniors. "They knew this class would do something special," she said.

Starlin and Hull remember Kevin giving them chances to play in basketball, even if they weren't the best kids on the team.

"I was by no means a good basketball player, but I got the chance to go out there and try and give effort," Hull said. "I really appreciated that."

For Starlin, he finds the Sharps in the little moments. "In the Lewis Central game, Kevin's favorite song is Thunderstruck. After every single big play they had, they'd play Thunderstruck and I'd get a smile on my face," he said. "Then we'd shut them down. I mean that fourth quarter defense was pretty dominant. I know I was playing extra hard. It's just those little reminders, playing extra hard for them and Joe Calvin too."

They remember Kevin as more than just a coach. "Kevin would make a kid a better athlete, but more important, he was focused on making them a better person in the long run," Keeler said. "He looked at who they could be, and Joe Calvin was the same way."

The 12th man means more than just one thing. Chapman said it's not just for Sterling. "You've got to play for the guy next to you, for the person who doesn't get to go in every play, the one who only gets half reps." he said. "It's for the one who cares just as much as you about the team winning but can't participate in the game. That's what it boils down to. This something we've talked about since putting pads on, and this is something Sterling will never get to experience."

Beth Fry, the grandma of the late Sterling Sharp, is presented with a handmade sign by Creston football seniors Brennan Hayes, Cael Turner and Max Chapman. The team has dedicated this season "to the 12th man."

Heart

Though going to the games is too emotional for Fry, she watches each week on Panther TV. She loves seeing the big plays and said she idolizes Cael Turner, one of the best quarterbacks in Class 3A this year.

"Him and Sterling and Conner Wiley were best friends. I know every move Cael makes, he's thinking of Sterling. It's been an amazing season," she said. "I think this season they are playing football with their heart more than just the football. It's not just about winning, it's about what they are playing for."

Starlin said as seniors, they have to play with their hearts. "You're playing for your community, you're playing for the name on your shirt, you're playing for the whole town," he explained. "Everyone shows up to watch you and support you so you've got to give it everything you have."

Hull said this season is all about leaving it all on the field. "Every time I'm out there, I give it everything I have. Every practice, we're going 100%, just going as hard as you can every play. What it boils down to is every single play matters."

More than just heart, this season has been about believing. "Believe" has been the team's mantra. It's how they break down their huddles, and it's how they defy the odds.

In week two, the Panthers faced a difficult matchup at Lewis Central — the team ranked first in Class 4A at the time. Yet it was the Panthers who came out on top. In week five, they faced the two-time defending state champions and Hawkeye 10 rival, the Harlan Cyclones. For the first time in eight years, Creston came away with the exhilarating win.

Now in week eight, the Panthers are 7-0, ranked first in Class 3A by the Associated Press and ranked second in IHSAA RPI ratings behind Clear Lake.

The boys agreed, this season has been a Cinderella story.

"When I try to put myself in that outsiders perspective, it really does look like something straight out of a movie," Chapman said. "I guess the reason you make movies about this kind of stuff is because it has a purpose. I feel like the 12th man and just everything that our class has gone through is probably a part of making this a success, a Cinderella story."

Despite their undefeated record, the Panthers are gearing up for a major matchup tonight as they host Nevada (6-1) for senior night as they play for the Class 3A District 6 Championship. Though both teams have clinched playoff berths, the matchup still has ramifications.

The top eight teams on the RPI list are host teams in the first round of the playoffs. There are already seven one-loss teams in Class 3A, so a Creston loss on Friday would put the Panthers in that mix of teams relying on their standing in the RPI after week nine.

Fry said Sterling would be ecstatic with how the team has done this year. "There's no doubt," she said. "He would be extremely happy over everything."

Chapman said they owe it to the people who helped them succeed. "It's a historical team and it's something he'll never get to experience," he said. "He definitely should have been a part of everything we've built up to so far. His dad, his mom, him, he'll never get the chance to be on the field or to witness us beat Harlan or Lewis Central. Or Joe Calvin, even."

Roles

With 25 seniors on the team and only 11 players on the field at a time, not everyone is going to be a starter or even play on the varsity field, but they each fill a role in making the team successful.

"I don't play, but I think I'm a huge contributor," Keeler said. "We love giving them a look on scout team. We look forward to that stuff. Like Dillon said, it truly is a Cinderella story. This class was meant to do big things, and Sterling was supposed to be a part of it."

Chapman said they couldn't do it without their JV players and scout team. "After the first big win against Lewis Central, the first thing I did was went up to the scout team kid I went up against every day in practice and told him I probably wouldn't have been able to do it without him," he said. "They love to get after it. If they can really take it to the starting defense or starting offense. They make it competitive at practice, and that only makes us better."

After starting with a three and out against Carroll, Turner credited the scout team with getting them the right game plan to switch gears. Morrison has also given them credit for a number of team successes.

As they head into the postseason in their bid for the Dome, Hull is remembering a piece of advice from Kevin. " He said, 'Every time you go out there, give it all you've got and that's all you can do,'" he said. "I think they'd be proud of what we've done so far."