Ninety degrees feels much hotter roasting a couple hundred ears of corn in a roaster set to 500 degrees. For John Marchese, it was worth it.
On Saturday, the Stevenson High School football team hosted its annual corn roast fundraiser. Per tradition, the parents and players of the team set up camp outside Sunset Foods in Long Grove for several hours to raise money for the team’s extracurricular activities.
“It’s tradition,” said Marchese, who has two players on the team and was one of the parent volunteers. “I’ve been standing in front of that thing all morning.”
Parent volunteers manned the booth, selling one for $2 or three for $5, accepting donations and fielding questions, “Where are the players?” until the team was able to join after their morning practice.
Players joined in the afternoon after the first practice of the season with full pads. Despite starting their Saturday at 6 a.m. with back-to-back two-hour sessions, about a dozen players were on hand, upbeat and welcoming shoppers coming into the store with “Want to buy some corn?”
“Most people know us and are really supportive,” said senior Jack Sorenson, varsity quarterback, after he and a teammate chased down an elderly couple in the parking lot as they were walking back to their car with groceries.
“I’m just here to support them,” said Kim Petricca, of Lincolnshire, whose two sons graduated from the team last year.
That’s a common theme at Stevenson — given that they’re the defending state champions. The Patriots (14-0) capped off a perfect season last year, defeating Homewood-Flossmoor in the Class 8A title game.
Parents thanked Sunset and Didier’s Farms for their support and donations of equipment and corn. The corn roast raised $796, which will go toward the team’s expenses, such as weekly Wednesday and Thursday night meals.
The meals include a lot of carbs and protein before game day Friday, “just to make sure our bodies are fueled right before the game,” Sorenson said.
It’ll also help fund gifts for parents of seniors. Typically on the last home game of the season, parents of seniors are presented with large action shots of their players.
Marchese, who had two sons graduate from the team, has already received two and will get two more when his twins, juniors on the varsity team, graduate.
Sorenson’s parents will also get one of the star quarterback before he starts at Miami University in Ohio, where he’s committed to start after graduation as a wide receiver.
Christine Won is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
