Stoaked Up...

When I get assignments like this, it hardly feels like work.

It's like my former world, meshing with my current one and the result is a sports journalist-slash-photographer mashupalooza.

I made it no secret a year ago that I was jumping on the Gladbrook-Reinbeck bandwagon.  With the exceptions of G-R and South Tama locally... last season was historically the worst I can ever remember for local high school football... so when the old sports writer in me needed SOMETHING to hold on to when the leaves turned and the games began to have real meaning... I latched on to a team that had four Stewart Photography seniors on it that I could identify with, and suddenly, the Rebels of Gladbrook-Reinbeck had gained another fan.

So you can imagine my excitement when one of the most visible members of that state-runner up squad from a year ago chose our studio for his senior images this fall.   The fan in me knew that Eric Stoakes' 2,473 yards and 36 touchdowns from a year ago were coming our way... toss in a state 400 meter hurdle championship from his sophomore year, and I just knew we were gonna have little problem finding things to talk about.

And we didn't.

The connection with Eric actually began well before last fall.  His longtime girlfriend (who will remain nameless to protect the innocent...  Ok...no it won't... it's Natalie) ran into me at a track meet up at Parkersburg a couple of years ago when they were both sophomores.   Nat, an South Tama student... was all decked out in G-R gear... and I looked at her kinda funny and said... "WTH??  are you going to G-R, now?"

"No, silly... my BOYFRIEND, goes there!  I'm just here watching him."

Further questioning by the former Times-Republican Assistant Sports Editor revealed that Natalie's boyfriend had gotten sixth in the 400 hurdles as a FRESHMAN the spring before.   Knowing how physically taxing that race is from experience, I had my doubts as to whether Nat was just a misinformed overly proud girlfriend... but upon further review... I found out she was dead on correct.

Impressed, I began mentally following Mr. Stoakes as his accomplishments continued to pile up over the past few years.  And I'm happy to report the Trojan/Rebel power couple is still a thing... and additionally, I got to photograph both ends of this relationship this year for their senior sessions.

All that being said, Eric and his teammates are busy putting together another solid season at G-R as the Rebels are currently ranked No. 9 in Class A by the Associated Press with their only blemishes coming to Class 1A No. 2-ranked Dike-New Hartford and Class A No. 5 Denver.   Add in a season opening win over a then ranked Class 2A outfit, and I think the Rebels are poised to make another deep run in the playoffs.

Two weeks remain in the regular season as Eric and his Rebels are after the Victory Bell this weekend against arch rival Grundy Center before closing with Wapsie Valley.  They'll be heavily favored to finish 7-2 before making another run at the UNI-Dome.

Make no mistake... they'll have a local photographer in their corner every step of the way.  Good luck to Mr. Stoakes and all the G-R boys as they chase down history again.

Thanks for choosing Stewart Photography, Team Stoakes!