Throughout the glitz and glamor that we see on our prestigious, historic Dubs football team, the grind from the boys is often undermined. The star-studded names overshadow the underlying hard-workers on the team, those who come in night in and night out to work on their craft. Of those proclaimed “grinders” emerges an integral leader of that bunch, Senior running back Henry Debardeleben, a silent but deadly weapon in the Warriors’ offensive arsenal. Dawning on his final year with the squad, his hard work over the past four years has finally paid off and led to a first-time feat that is far from over.
A four-year veteran on the North Atlanta gridiron, Debardeleben has made a difference on the team since his first practice snap as a young freshman. Ever since then, the staff has given incredibly resounding reviews on his hard-working nature and the way he has contributed to the major culture shift that has occurred on the team since the 2021-22 campaign. His teammates alike have also noticed his immense progression on and off the field, with his growth in all aspects being very impressive, to say the least. Being his quarterback throughout each season, fellow Senior Ian Reynolds has constantly voiced his praise for Henry, with every year being better and better. “Being side by side on the field with Henry has been a blessing from minute one. I know when I give number 6 the ball, some magic is gonna happen,” said Reynolds.
Coming up on a further historic season following a first-time region title with the Dubs, Debardeleben feels as if all his hard work has finally paid off. Along with the team, his pride in the season has skyrocketed, with each practice and game instilling more and more confidence within the team. Despite this, as a huge leader on the team, Henry has made sure to remind the boys of the goal at the end of the tunnel. Regardless of this, he simultaneously makes sure to lift the squad by giving them the right type of motivation that every team loves: reminding them that what they are doing is nothing short of history. “I’ve never been proud of such a group of guys in my life,” Debardeleben said. “It’s sad, it’s my last run, but we’ve made it in the best one possible and every guy here should know that.”
While the feats are nothing shy of impressive, “Debo” and the Dubs are looking for bigger and better things entering this year’s playoff run. With the first game against Peachtree Ridge at home on the horizon, our very own Warriors are looking to start off their stumbling upon success that many did not think was possible at the start of the year. Against all odds and with the help of extreme diligence and talent from stars like Henry, we look to embark on a season that we can hang up even further in the Dubs Football history books.
