Lena/STAA football team honors Kyle Hodkiewicz at homecoming game

UPDATED: Sept. 22, 10:55 p.m.

The Lena/St. Thomas Aquinas Academy football co-op honored Kyle Hodkiewicz during the team’s homecoming game against Suring on Sept. 16 in Lena.

Hodkiewicz — the son of Mitch and Jessica — passed away Sept. 19, 2015, after battling leukemia for over two years and was chosen as the co-op’s honorary captain for the homecoming game. Mike Hodkiewicz, Kyle's grandfather, has worked in the Lena athletic department for over 20 years as a statistician and scorebook keeper.

Lena/STAA captains Sam Marquardt, Sidney Sylvester and Josh Kristof carried a No. 72 jersey with them for the coin toss. The No. 72 is the number Kyle’s father wore when playing for Lena. 

The football team chose Kyle Hodkiewicz as an honorary captain as a reminder that he’d always be a part of the Class of 2023.