Published: October 29, 2009 07:02 am      

McNeish column: River Kings fever grasps Clinton

Kings fever grasps Clinton



CLINTON — This city has come down with it. The symptoms flood our streets and pack our bleachers.

Clinton has River King Fever.

There's no denying it now. Not after thousands packed Coan Field on Wednesday night to witness the Clinton football team's 42-13 substate win over Cedar Rapids Prairie.

“We got the fever all right,” Clinton fan Jayson Berton said. “We've got it bad.”

Fans began lining up to purchase tickets Wednesday afternoon at 4:30, more than two hours before kickoff.

And not student fans. Adults. People left work early to ensure a good seat.

“We can't get enough of watching this team,” fan Kyle Charleston said. “They're awesome. How can you not have fun watching them? It's like watching a PlayStation game.”



All Kings, all the time

The excitement has zapped our city's veins like a sugar rush.

Clinton High School football has become the latest fad, a phenomenon, the newest craze. It's cool to wear Kings playoff gear. Folks gossip about the team in the produce area at Hy-Vee. The Kings are everywhere.

“Everyone jumped on the bandwagon,” Clinton linebacker Blake Pennock said. “There's so many people that support us. It's great.”

On electronic roadside signs, rooting for this team has become as common as advertising.

“Free checking. ...GO RIVER KINGS! ... Free online banking. ... GO RIVER KINGS!”

The Kings have started a fashion trend — and I have stats to prove it. Late Wednesday afternoon, 28 people stood in checkout lines at Wal-Mart. Eighteen of them wore Clinton sweatshirts.

Down the street, a King-o'-lantern stood proud on a front porch. Yup, the Clinton logo carved into a pumpkin.

Just wait for the Jake Mangler Halloween costume.

These players have become celebrities. Elementary school teachers have asked Clinton athletic director Gary Lueders about ordering David Johnson youth replica jerseys.

Welcome to King-mania.

Clinton has the fever.

“I've lived here my whole life,” Lueders said, “and I've only seen the community like this once, in '92 when we won the boys basketball state title. But this, right now, is right up there with that.”

A packed house

The Coan Field home bleachers hold 3,027 fans. Many more showed up.

A good number arrived more than an hour before kickoff, and that's just the people inside the stadium. Don't forget those seated in lawn chairs outside the field's fence. Or the group watching high above the stadium on 9th Avenue South.

“Man, it was fun to see them all,” Clinton running back Mo Walker said. “It's fun knowing you're a role model for kids and even the community. It's pretty cool.”

The Clinton faithful detonated when Ty Hatheway nearly returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown. And when Mangler, the Clinton quarterback, dashed 40 yards for the opening score, the crowd became a vast ocean of pumping fists and twirling white towels.

“They put on a great show,” elated fan Rachel Wooderd said. “That's why we have fallen in love with this team.”

The symptoms, the support and the synergy between team and community all point to one obvious diagnosis.

Clinton has River King Fever.

This city has it bad.



Scott McNeish is the Herald assistant sports editor.