Article: FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL SMALL-TOWN FOXES BATTLE THE ODDS AND THE NUMBERS

It's almost three hours until kickoff, and Hamilton County head coach Kevin Blem-ker sweeps the floor of the antique fieldhouse that smells like 30-year-old shoulder pads.

The surface is as clean as geriatric concrete gets. Blemker sweeps not as a maintenance man but to give his arms purpose.

"I've got to have something to do or I'll go crazy," says the 41- year-old native of Washington, Ind., who's coaching at his fifth high school.

The football Foxes have only 19 varsity players. This night's Illinois foe -- Christopher-Ziegler-Royalton -- will dress almost three times that many.

"We'll put a few freshmen in uniform just so we look a little better running onto the field," Blemker says.

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