Emily Hamm, 7, and her sister, Olivia, 4, both of Knox, hold candles as part of a ceremony held before the Moniteau-Keystone high school football game Sept. 14, 2001 to honor those killed in Sept. 11's terrorist attacks.

It wasn't the only game in town.

But it was close.

When Moniteau's varsity football team traveled to Keystone High School on Sept. 14, 2001, the Warriors participated in one of only two games played on the western side of Pennsylvania that night.

The other was Greenville-Franklin.

All other games were called off as the nation mourned the lives lost to the terrorist attacks three days earlier.

Football was on the minds of no one that day.

But Moniteau's team returned to practice Wednesday after then-athletic director Jim Metz talked with the Keystone athletic director. They decided to move forward with their scheduled game that Friday.

The late Tom Kidder was Moniteau's head football coach at that time. Cecil Blauser, a United States Navy veteran, was an assistant on the staff.

“The game was secondary,” Blauser said. “It was about our country. I thought we were being patriotic by playing the game.

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