Some things are just a way of life at Ford Field.
The concessions are going to be over-priced, the hometown Lions are going to struggle and Ben Swan is going explode for a big day.
Lock it in.
For the second straight year, Swan led Traverse City St. Francis to a lopsided win in the Division 7 state title game. Saturday, it was a 42-8 victory over Hudson.
On the biggest stage, Swan has shined the brightest. But if you think that's something with which he's comfortable, think again.
"I'm a head case and I get so nervous," Swan said. "But I really think it pushes me and it makes the drive even more present in me. It's just there. I'm driven when I'm like that."
Swan's nerves didn't show.
He scored three touchdowns on Saturday, including one on a 69-yard run to help the Gladiators to an early 14-0 lead in the first quarter.
"The hole was open right away and I saw a seam," Swan said. "There were a couple of cuts in there, but that was a good seam. Those guys were arm-tackling, and you break through arm tackles and chances are you're going to break a big run."
For the day, the 6-foot-2, 215-pound senior finished with 10 carries for 117 yards and three touchdowns. A year ago, Swan ran eight times for 138 yards and two scores -- including a 70-yarder.
"I'd like to get him back for another couple of years," Glads coach Greg Vaughan said. "I don't know what it is about this place, but somehow, some way he always does well. We needed him. We added some stuff to our offense and he's taken off on those plays."
Perhaps the success for Swan -- a speed back -- has to do with the artificial turf lining the floor at Ford Field. And if so, I guess the artificial turf at Thirlby Field is coming a couple of years too late for the exiting senior who spent his career plodding through the mud at his Traverse City home field.
"I'm kind of jealous," Swan said of the turf coming the Thirlby Field in 2010. "It would have been great. But I do love Thirlby. When it's dry, I love it."
Fighting through the mud hasn't been the only adversity facing Swan this season.
A separated shoulder forced him to miss the opening game of the year, a 54-0 rout of Benzie Central.
"I re-injured it this game," Swan said. "That's something that has bugged me every practice, every game. But it was just a thing I could go through."
And then there was the flu.
In the 52-20 win over Rudyard in the district title game, Swan watched from a car in the parking lot after coming down with the flu that day.
"It killed me sitting in the car watching it," Swan said. "I didn't want anything more than to be out there playing."
They say if something's not hard, it's not worth doing. And that certainly seemed to hold true for Swan, who persevered through a season of adversity to hoist a second straight state championship trophy.
While Saturday's win ended his high school career, Swan is looking at continuing football on the collegiate level.
"I've had interest and I've gone on some visits, but I'm not really sure where it's going to end up," Swan said. "I'm keeping my options open. I know it's such a small percentage with football that get somewhere, I'm really focusing on education. I want to go somewhere where I can get a good job and have the rest of my life on track."
If it's something he's driven to do, I wouldn't bet against him. Nerves and all.
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