Big Cats on Campus: Bengals Trio Reunites on College Field

Growing up, three youngsters formed a bond playing football and built a friendship that would stand the test of time.

Chad and Cody Sprayberry and Sean Martinez first donned the matching silver and black of the Oak Forest Raiders in third grade, and the sport has carried them and their friendship onto a collegiate field, at St. Joseph College in Indiana.

Back then, the three friends had no idea how long their friendship would last. However, all three are ecstatic that it has—their teammates know it.

“It's kind of an unheard story, players sticking together, playing together from peewees to college,” Chad said.

“To be honest, it still feels like we're back in third grade, throwing the ball around before practice,” Cody said. “It's awesome, being out there with my brother and with one of my best friends. Everyone in the locker room understands we have this trio.”

After a productive career at , Chad, a linebacker, was the first to leave their hometown, turning down scholarship offers from the Air Force and Army to attend Western Illinois University. During his year there, Chad said he bounced between several positions on both offense and defense, leading to frustration and confusion about his future.

“I was all down and out, I came in as a linebacker and I was just switching from all these positions, I ended up at offensive tackle,” Chad said. “It just wasn't the right fit for me.”

Next Cody and Sean left, Sean for the University of Wisconsin-Plattville and Cody for St. Joe's. While being recruited by St. Joe's, Cody began a recruitment of his own, nudging his brother to join him and planting seeds in his coach's heads about his older brother, something Chad definitely didn't mind.

“When he was signing, I was just like, 'Hook a brother up,'” Chad said with a laugh.

Chad joined the fold shortly after his brother signed one and then the two Sprayberrys realized they were one man short. Chad and Cody quickly launched a blitz on Sean, telling him to step up a level in play and reunite with his "family."

“I was talking to Sean and was like, 'I miss playing with you,' and he felt the same thing,” Chad said. “So I said, 'Hey, why don't you step up your game and come up a level. You're close to home and you're with your brothers.' He said, 'Heck yeah,' and then I got in my coach's ear, telling him I had a friend he should look at. … Next thing you know, we've got him down here.”

The ploy worked, and the three former Bengals were once again big cats on campus, only this time as Pumas.

“They both reached out to me, telling me that St. Joesph's was putting together a great program,” Martinez said. “They wanted me to be a part of it, so I got to know the coaches and it just went from there.”

With the former Bengals lining up for the Pumas, all three said that this is the year St. Joe's arrives. The team will take the field for their first game on Aug. 30 at Valparaiso University as part of the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

Though it is the Pumas first year in the conference, that hasn't stopped the Oak Forest natives from setting lofty goals for the year.

“We all want to reach the conference championship,” Martinez said.

The trio takes the field Friday, Aug. 30 at 7 p.m. at Valparaiso University in Indiana. For complete information and a schedule, visit St. Joe's website.