Football among friends
GROVE CITY — Zach Rader and Ben McKnight began their foootball careers as young rivals.
After spending the past eight years as teammates, they ended their gridiron careers as friends.
“He'll probably end up being in my wedding someday,” Rader said of McKnight.
Both 2012 Butler graduates, Rader was a quarterback for the Golden Tornado who went on to play wingback at Grove City College. McKnight was a defensive tackle at Butler and Grove City.
In the Butler Area Midget Football League, Rader played for Center Township and McKnight played for East Side.
“We've played for the same team since ninth grade,” McKnight said. “We wound up at the same college. It wasn't planned that way.
“We share the same major (business management), so we were in a lot of classes together.”
Both are on pace to graduate in May. They live in the same building at Grove City College as well.
“He's practically right across the hall from me,” Rader said. “We see each other all the time. In college, you tend to form tight friendships because you're around the same guys all of the time.”
Another common denominator involving Rader and McKnight is one neither wanted to have, but both learned to deal with.
Losing.
They endured two winless seasons at Butler and a pair of 0-10 campaigns at Grove City. Between the two programs, their teams lost 54 of 67 games.
But these guys never stopped trying to win.
“Sure, we had some hard times,” McKnight said. “But I was around these guys all of the time ... They're like family. We played for each other, tried to get better for each other.“We never stopped working on the field and we built trusting relationships that will last a long time. When you're losing, facing adversity ... We had to come together. It made us stronger as people.”Rader agreed.“I played baseball in high school, did other sports, but no sport bonds people together like football,” he said. “I love it. I'll miss it.”Rader was an all-purpose wingback for the Wolverines. He caught 13 passes for 125 yards, rushed for 71 yards during a sophomore year that was curtailed by a knee injury. Rader tore his ACL and MCL.He returned to catch 14 passes for 88 yards his junior season, but his overall offensive production never returned to the promise of that sophomore season. Rader did throw three touchdown passes during his collegiate career.“I had to play with a brace my junior year and lost some of my quickness,” Rader said. “I played without the brace my senior year, but our offense changed somewhat.”McKnight was not a defensive starter at Grove City, but did see action in a reserve role. He played in all 10 games this season, seeing ample action on special teams.“It was a little difficult, not starting as a senior, but you learn in football that it's not about you,” McKnight said. “It's about the team.“You always want to win, but just the experience is well worth everything. There is no feeling like running onto that field before a game, the fans going crazy, it's just a rush.”Rader said being part of a team is well worth the frustration of losing games.“And playing for Coach Chris Smith ... He's a great man and a great coach,” Rader said. “We will all miss him dearly.“Sticking together, working together as a team,. it helps prepare you for life. Ben and I are all the better for it.”
