CLEVELAND — The Glenville High School football team's state championship has meant a lot of things to a lot of people in Cleveland.
That includes the players, themselves, who were honored on Thursday with a parade and celebration at Public Hall.
While local officials -- including Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb and Cleveland Metropolitan School District CEO Eric Gordon -- and celebrities -- including members of the Cleveland Browns -- gave speeches congratulating the Tarblooders, one of the highlights of the event occurred when members of the team's roster took the stage. Just days after helping Glenville defeat Wyoming 26-6 in the Division IV state title game to complete a perfect 15-0 season and win the first state championship for a CMSD football team in the playoff era, junior cornerback Bryce West and junior running back D'shawntae Jones took the stage to share what the accomplishment meant to them.
"Glenville Tarblooders football, I want to thank you because without y'all, I don't know what I'd do," West, a 4-star prospect with scholarship offers from Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State among others said before recalling the team's loss to Ursuline and wishing the team's departing seniors well.
West proceeded to get visibly emotional as he turned his attention toward his brother, senior linebacker Braylon West, who then joined him on stage for an embrace that drew a standing ovation from those in attendance.
After West thanked the Tarblooders' coaches, Jones then took the podium, giving his own emotional address as he thanked Glenville's coaches, in particular, legendary head coach Ted Ginn Sr.
"He takes time out of his day, he doesn't get any sleep. He's in this 25/8," Jones said of Ginn. "He really does this. I really love him."
You can watch the players' full speeches, as well as other speeches given at Thursday's celebration, in the video players below.