MONTGOMERY, Ala. (BVM) – The Trinity Presbyterian High School Wildcats won their first and only football state championship 17 years ago. On Friday Oct. 2, the school honored the championship team during the halftime program of their homecoming game. One player was noticeably missing from the midfield celebration: former star linebacker Granger Shook, a key member of the team. Shook wasn’t on the field because he was in the locker room, giving the halftime speech to the current Trinity Wildcats football team, as their head coach.

“It is an honor to be associated with the 2003 state title team,” he said. “However, my first responsibility and obligation is to these young men that are currently playing at Trinity. All my attention and efforts will be on them.”

This celebration has been in the works for some time. “

Honoring our 2003 state championship team is something we have been looking forward to since we began planning Trinity’s 50th birthday,” Athletic Director Jessica Lassiter said. “This team was a very special group. Several players went on to play at the collegiate level. We had an awesome time seeing everyone back at Ragsdale-Boykin Field.”

As the 2003 Wildcats defeated Deshler 24-14 to take the 2003 championship and complete an undefeated season, Shook finished the season with more than 170 tackles in his senior year. The coach of that championship team, Randy Ragsdale, is still a fixture at the school, but no longer in a coaching role.

“That whole season, our seniors were an encouraging and fun group,” Ragsdale said. “It was a tremendous night for them and our team. Granger has always been an encourager! He played with intensity and passion. His position coach, Jon Shamburger took him and helped him to become an even better player.”

Jon Shamburger is still on the coaching staff at Trinity, as well as several other coaches who also coached Shook on the 2003 team.

“The quality of men on this staff is second to none,” Shook said. “Some of the more seasoned men on this staff were coaching while I was playing and I appreciate the wisdom and guidance that they bring to the table. We all have the same goals in mind: We first want to build strong, bold men of God. Secondly, we understand the importance of winning; We are all working together to attain our goals. We understand that God has put us all here at this moment for something special. We want to make sure we take advantage of our opportunity.”

Shook knows he has big shoes to fill in his role at Trinity. As Trinity celebrates their 50th anniversary, the school is looking for another trophy to add to the case and, Shook is hoping for the same.

“Each team that comes through here will always be compared to that [championship] team,” Shook said. “As the head coach, I realize that. I knew that coming back into this environment. As a competitor, I enjoy the high expectations and wouldn’t want it any other way. Our goal now as a staff is to create a culture and mindset where our young people embrace that expectation and understand that it takes daily intentional attention to detail to attain and surpass it.”

Ragsdale has no doubt that Shook will make a name for himself.

“I am extremely thankful that Granger has become the head football coach for the Wildcats!” he said. “I am so proud of him. He is going to help to mold, shape, and teach young men to stay at the task when it gets really hard. With God leading his life, He is going to impact past, present and future Wildcats for many years to come.”

“‘Coaching is a calling,’ Coach Shook says this quite often,” Lassiter said. “Coaches make countless sacrifices.  So, to see a former player come back and pour out what was poured into him is a very special feeling. As an athletic director, it is humbling and satisfying. Knowing that Trinity made such an impression on Coach Shook that he would want to come back and invest into the very place that invested in him. I think it speaks to the notoriety of Trinity.”

Shook was hired in March of this year. He has spent the last several seasons as an assistant coach at Prattville High School and before that he was an assistant coach at Colquitt County High School in Georgia and Huntington College.

“Coach Shook possesses numerous qualities that quickly separated him from our other candidates,” Lassiter said. “He is extremely passionate and hard working. He’s a proven winner and has been a part of large and successful programs. His desire to win shows in his work ethic.”

This year Trinity’s team motto is “Tough People Succeed,” and that was evident on the field.

The Wildcats defeated Reeltown during their homecoming game with a score of 42-14.