Teammate's memory fuels Jenks' run Class 6A Trojans dedicated season to Bennett

JENKS — Even in the atmosphere of semifinals week, Tanner Shuck can still find time to laugh.

When Shuck thinks about the below-the-belt, friendly-fire shot fellow Trojans defensive end Jake Laptad took courtesy of another Jenks player during last week's win over Lawton he breaks up laughing.

Tanner Shuck

"Jake's reaction was priceless," Shuck said.

Light moments have been harder to come by this year at Jenks. From the outside, the Trojans are cruising at 11-1 and in the hunt for their 11th state championship. But beyond the big game buzz and behind the locker room door, Shuck is still coming to grips with the July death of center Garrett Bennett, who was killed in a car accident on the way home from a team paintball excursion. For kids accustomed to life in suburbia, one of life's most painful realities cut deep.

"I've never had someone that I was close with die and when it happened it made me sit back and think," Shuck said. "I really have to appreciate life for what it is. There are no guarantees. You have to do everything to the fullest."

Shuck figures the best way to remember Bennett isn't just to wear a No. 76 patch on his jersey, but to be just like him.

"Garrett was a quiet kid who showed up every day and worked hard," Shuck said. "The way to honor him is to go out there and share his mentality."

Football has been the constant, something to cling to. The week-to-week preparation has helped dull the pain. Before the season, coaches and players made the decision to dedicate this year to Bennett.

"We keep him in our heart and think about what Garrett would do," defensive tackle Tony Gillespie said. "We're doing it for him but it's more than a state championship. We're doing it for bigger reasons."

For some those reasons are deeply personal.

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