By Brad Spahr

Since Pete Dicce took over the head coaching job of the Kennett High School soccer team a few years back, one of the things he has attempted to do is make the Blue Demons homecoming day game a little extra special.

Last year for instance he invited a former player to serve as honorary captain. This past Saturday morning for Kennett High's 2009 homecoming game, Dicce invited any and all former Kennett soccer players to come out and be honored before the game.

Over 40 former players turned out for the Demons game against Bishop Shanahan inside the school's stadium.

"This is their high school. This is where they grew up," said Dicce. "When you reflect on when you were younger the wins and losses aren't as important as the relationships you make with your friends on the team. It was good to have all these guys back."

The oldest former player to take part in the festivities was 1944 Kennett grad A. Duer Pierce Jr., who joked before the ceremony that he received clearance from his parole officer to attend.

"It was an awesome experience playing here," said Pierce Jr., who played fullback for coach Charlie Painter. "We were undefeated my senior year. We had an outstanding team."

Pierce Jr., who is on the Kennett Education Foundation Board, received an email notifying him about the event from current coach Dicce. He said he was surprised to get it.

"That's certainly a first," said Pierce Jr. "No one that I know of has ever tried to reach out to former players before. I thought it was a great idea. This will be my first Kennett soccer game in 25 years."

Each of the former players who attended were introduced to the crowd one-by-one before the game.

"I'm very impressed with the new facilities they have here," said 1956 Kennett grad Bill Taylor, a former left winger on the soccer team. "My wife's here today. She was a cheerleader at the school. I thought I was going to be the oldest one here but thankfully a couple of them have me beat."

Kennett ended up losing the soccer match to Bishop Shanahan by a score of 2-0, but that did little to dampen the earlier ceremony.

"It's fun to see all these people," said Maurice Pennington, a 1958 Kennett graduate who played halfback for coach Ken Webb. "It really brings back a lot of memories being here today."