As a Notre Dame fan, I haven't had much to care about in recent years upon the announcement of BCS rankings. However, this year, I'm excited to see Texas at the top of the list (released today):

Poll Positions

The top five of the BCS standings released Sunday:
1.

For complete BCS standings, and AP and USA Today polls, click here.

In related news, I caught a little of the Texas-Missou butt whoopin' last night and was reminded of my favorite Longhorn, Defensive End Aaron Lewis. I had the pleasure of serving with Aaron's dad, Chaplain (Col.) Jerry Lewis, at Kirtland and wrote one of my favorite pieces on Aaron and his unique challenges faced as an elite athlete/military brat.

Ed's note: I have it on good authority that I'm not the only Catholic who held Chaplain Lewis in high regard...in fact, a certain priest I know still gushes over him to this day!

One of the neatest things I got to do in researching the article was interview former fighter pilot and Dallas Cowboy's defensive lineman Chad Hennings, who served as a mentor for Aaron. I just finished reading Jeff Pearlman's Boys Will be Boys, a startling account of the Dallas Cowboys of the early '90s. Pearlman singles out Hennings as one of the God-fearing good guys on a number of teams marked by debauchery.

From what I recall, he was incredibly gracious with me and happy to talk about Aaron. He lived up to the hype, and besides, I'll always be a fan of athletes who served.

I'll keep pulling for Aaron, who's a starter on Mack Brown's squad, and hope that they can pull it out over the coming months.

Anyway, here's my award-winning* piece:

Gridiron Glory and Praise
Faith, Family Drive Football Star

Decked out in his navy blue number 66 jersey, in hot pursuit of the quarterback, the defensive end busts through a futile attempt at a double team by the opposing offensive line.

The defensive end is Aaron Lewis, a senior at Albuquerque's La Cueva High School, a young man used to overcoming obstacles to not only reach opposing quarterbacks but to accomplish a host of lofty goals.

On Wednesday, the prestigious 2005 U.S. Army All American Bowl announced Aaron selection to the team.

As if punching his ticket to San Antonio for the U.S. Army All-American Bowl isn't challenging enough on its own- the game is considered the pinnacle of honors for high school football players- Aaron has overcome many obstacles as a "military brat."

Thanks to the career of Aaron's father, Chaplain, Lt. Col. Jerry Lewis, Aaron covers both the field and the map. Aaron has lived in 7 different places starting in Homestead, Fla.; with stops in Bentwaters, England; Colorado Springs, Colo.; Montgomery, Ala.; San Antonio, Texas before settling in his current home in Albuquerque.

When legs that squat 475 pounds and arms that dead lift 525 are coupled with the 4.6-second forty-yard dash closing speed of a sprinter and the sheer power of a 6'4", 260-pound frame, the defensive end has the God-given talents designed for catching quarterbacks-as he's done 46.5 times during his career.

The younger Lewis' physique isn't the only thing he considers God-given. Known for his pew-rattling sermons that drum up a chorus of "amens," Chaplain Lewis, a military brat himself, and understood the challenges his son faced. "Compared to Alabama and Texas, New Mexico is not exactly known for its football," said Chaplain Lewis. "Thankfully, God took care of all my concerns."

Chaplain Lewis is no stranger to athletic success, having played college soccer, basketball and track at Methodist College in Fayetteville, N.C. Methodist is where Chaplain Lewis met his wife and Aaron's mom, Debby-also a military brat.

Aaron credits his Christian faith as the key to his good fortunes on the gridiron. "When I found out that we were moving from Texas to NM, I relied upon faith," said Aaron. "My dad sat down with me and said, 'The lord has a plan for you, just go with it and everything will work out."

"That's the special thing about faith," said Aaron, "You believe in faith, you don't see it."

In an era where high school athletics are the end result of years of youth football and growing up in a system, Aaron moved to Albuquerque before his sophomore season, and was forced to play catch up.

Not only did he catch up, he quickly moved to the head of the pack, and has a strong support group at home that helped him make it happen.

While New Mexico may not be a high school football powerhouse, Aaron's La Cueva Bears team won the 2003 state championship with a 13-0 campaign, and looks likely to do the same in 2004 (the team is 12-0 heading into the state championship against Clovis tomorrow).

Running back to the sideline, number 66 doffs his silver helmet with interlocking "LC" on the sides, and turns to the crowd, searching for his mother. He finds her, and extends his pinky, index finger and thumb, sign language for "I love you," then he bends his thumb in, and flashes the "Hook 'em Horns" sign.

In addition to his faith, Aaron cites his family as the key to his success.

"Aaron has always set goals for himself," said Debby Lewis. "A division one scholarship was one of those goals."

While Aaron's size is currently a huge blessing, it hasn't always been-especially when he was a fourth grader forced to play with kids three to five years older than him in a weight-based Pop Warner football league.

One of Aaron's more recent goals has been selection to the Army All American Game, in which he wanted to play after seeing it on television (this year's game will be played on January 15 and will be aired on NBC).

"I'm so honored to be selected to the game," said Aaron. "There are lots of guys who bust their butts as hard as I do, when you realize that there are 1200 schools in Texas, that's at least 2,400 defensive ends in one state!"
"Some of (the moving) has been challenging, it's tough to enter a group of players who have spent years together. For the most part, I've enjoyed seeing new places and making new friends."

Sans helmet, his head covered by a navy blue 'do rag and his breath visible in the cool autumn air, the defensive end watches the fourth quarter from the sideline-his team pitching the ninth shutout of the season-shouting encouragement to his teammates and enjoying the fruits of his hard work.
Thanks to their travels, the Lewis family has surrounded Aaron with many strong role models.

"Aaron's a leader, and a great role model for a lot of young kids to look up to," said Chad Hennings, a former Air Force fighter pilot and Dallas Cowboy. "I talked with him about the importance of education, to go to a school where you're going to get the best education possible.

Hennings spent time with Aaron after meeting Chaplain Lewis "(U.S. Air Force Academy head football coach) Fisher DeBerry was also a tremendous influence on my football career," said Aaron. "He would let me hang around the team when I was younger and would always take the time to talk to me about my football career."
The elder Lewis became friends with DeBerry when he was the team Chaplain for the Air Force Academy Falcons.

"I also told him to trust the coaching staff-because that coach and that coaching staff is going to be your surrogate parents when your away from home, they're going to have to be of the same moral fiber of your parents."

When the defensive end returns home from the field, he does what every other red-blooded teenage boy does, turns on X-Box and plays the standards: Halo and Halo 2.

For now, Aaron looks forward to playing the game, "I'm excited to go and prove why I'm there. I feel like I have a lot to prove to the fans and people of Texas, and show that I'm ready to be a Longhorn"

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*2004 AFMC Best Sports Article

Labels: Air Force, Football