He was a cancer survivor on Thursday. He added ‘state champion’ on Saturday
Jack Cross lined up at quarterback and took the victory snaps in his first game in more than a year. His Colleyville Covenant Christian team lifted a state championship trophy on Saturday.
Cross, a senior receiver and kick holder who had not played since 2016, was declared cancer-free on Thursday, nearly six months after his June 27 diagnosis of bifocal intracranial germinoma, an adolescent cancer.
“Amazing. It couldn’t have ended any better,” Cross said. “It’s like the cherry on top in the same week you find out you’re cancer-free.”
Working his way back from a low of 124 pounds after chemotherapy and radiation, Cross gave Covenant coach Rick Jackson two days’ notice that he could suit up. He’s up to 160, but had lost muscle mass.
“His mother told me there was a chance, and if there was any way he could suit up or get on the field, it would all be worth it,” Jackson said. “For Jack to take that last snap, his teammates said he had to do it. What a resilient family.”
It showed me that in your darkest hour, there’s always light and something to pull you into it.
Covenant assistant Jordan Cross on his brother Jack’s return to the field
Jack, his brother Jordan and their mother Sheila finally got a couple of big victories. Their dad and her husband Randy died in 2014 of a heart attack, and middle brother Collin was lost to a drug overdose in Colorado earlier this year.
“Our support and prayer network at Covenant has been absolutely amazing,” Sheila said. “We’re from Wisconsin, and we have no extended family here. They have rallied around us. If you’re going through something like we have, they’re incredible. They are our family.”
The Cougars (11-3) reeled off nine consecutive wins to end the season, beating The Woodlands Legacy Prep Christian 14-0 to win the TAPPS Division IV championship at Midway High’s Panther Stadium.
Saturday, Jack went through warmups at a slow jog, eventually switching from his helmet to a cold-weather beanie. He kept his arms and legs covered and later pulled sweat pants over his uniform pants.
He looked anything but game-dressed, and when Jordan, a Cougars assistant coach, began yelling at him to “get ’em off” for Covenant to take a knee with a minute left, Jack had trouble removing the sweat pants.
“I told him to hurry up, but he was all tangled up,” Jordan said.
“This has been therapeutic for me. It showed me that in your darkest hour, there’s always light and something to pull you into it. I’m so proud of our team, and Jack for winning a little bigger battle.”
This story was originally published December 9, 2017 at 4:22 PM with the headline "He was a cancer survivor on Thursday. He added ‘state champion’ on Saturday."