‘They took a knee for Nick’: Roxborough junior varsity team’s return to the field was bigger than football

At the end of the day, a bunch of kids got to play football.

That is what everyone in attendance Tuesday afternoon wanted to see when Roxborough High School’s junior varsity team took the field for the first time since the shooting that left a 14-year-old player dead and four more wounded.

The contest began with a bit of confusion as host George Washington High School started with the ball.

Washington had only 10 players on the field, symbolically one fewer than the 11 allowed per play. Washington’s quarterback then quickly took a knee, leading to what seemed like a quick whistle.

There was a bit of befuddlement before a Roxborough player finally voiced what happened.

“Oh, they took a knee for Nick,” sophomore running back Kazir Dyson said.

Nicolas Elizalde was the freshman who was shot and killed Sept. 27 when gunmen opened fire after a scrimmage near the school as several Roxborough players returned to their locker room.

“It’s bigger than football for us,” Washington JV coach Marquis Murray said.

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Earlier in the school day, Murray said, a group of coaches and teachers came up with the idea to kneel on the first play. They also presented Roxborough with a game ball that was signed by each Washington player, replete with well wishes and condolences.

“It just hits home because I also have a family member on [Washington’s] team and just to even think about something like that happening is just heartbreaking,” Murray said. “It just humbles you.”

Washington eventually won the game, 16-14. Sophomore quarterback Rasheed Grinnage had given Roxborough a chance by barreling into the end zone in the final seconds.

His two-point conversion run, however, came up just short of the end zone.

“We haven’t been a full team since what happened,” Roxborough JV coach Tyson Harrington said. “To only lose by two, of course, everybody wanted to win, but we did great. We did great.”

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Harrington said his team also hasn’t had a full practice since the shooting. He also appreciated Washington’s compassionate gesture to begin the game.

He was also proud of his team.

“My team has great heart,” he said. “We have heart. To come out here and ball like that after something traumatic, we have heart.”