As the Friday night lights lit up the field behind Hamilton Heights High School, senior Duncan Stephenson stood with his teammates at the sidelines watching carefully as black and gold continued to battle it out on the turf. The call of his name quickly tore his focus away from the game and onto offensive coordinator Coach Jason Simmons. Immediately he was aware what this quick exchange meant—it was time to play. The heat from the night quickly heightened the pressure and, taking a deep breath, number 60 took his first stride into the spotlight.

Since his first time stepping out onto the field in a varsity game against the Huskies, Stephenson, a backup lineman for the Millers, has patiently waited for his next turn on the field. With a total of 114 players in the program ranging from grades 10 through 12, the competition for playing time is more fierce than it has ever been. Positions are rotated constantly every game for even some of the most valuable players, and weekly practices have become crucial in determining the amount of time each player receives on those highly anticipated Friday nights.

Lance Scheib, the head coach for the Millers, says the difficult decisions he must make each week really come down to one thing.

“What’s really hard is you don’t play the players that you really like, you play the players that are best [able] to win games,” Scheib said.

Even though the odds of playing for most of the boys become increasingly slim each week, Stephenson’s commitment and dedication remains unparalleled, say his coaches and teammates.
Stephenson’s says his love for the game started when he was in second grade and has stayed with him since. In his high school career alone he has donated almost twenty hours a week in the fall to everyday practices and even more of his time during off-season conditioning.

Among teammates and coaches, Stephenson is best known for his work ethic and ability to keep the team in high spirits during the low points in games and in practice.

Senior offensive linebacker for the Millers, Justin Ogle says that Stephenson’s good attitude means more than just a pat on the back.

“After a win he keeps us level headed and tells us things that we can improve on, and after a loss [he provides] a lot of positive feedback, and he believes in us and tells us how much we are worth. So that means a lot to us,” Ogle said.

Besides keeping up the morale of the team, Stephenson shares important responsibilities on and off the field. During game times, responsibilities Stephenson has include rotating with starters to give them a breather and fixing shoulder pads so that the team avoids penalties during the game. When the games are over and practices start the following week, Stephenson helps evaluate some of his teammates during their film watching sessions to help others improve their performance on Friday nights.

Stephenson says that his role on the team helps him improve as a player and a person.

“I feel that having more involvement lets me have a purpose on the team. It gives me something to contribute,” Stephenson said. “I enjoy football and the sport itself, but I feel like it’s really helped me become a better person.”

As a senior, this fall will be Stephenson’s last season with the Noblesville Millers but that doesn’t deter his commitment to the team and what it stands for.

“I feel like I have a drive, and I just want to do the best I can even if there is a ceiling of where I can be,” Stephenson said. “I want to [be] able to continue to contribute to the team the way I can.”