PARKERSBURG, IOWA (AP) -- Players on a high school football team in Parkersburg, Iowa, are getting ready to play the first game since their legendary coach was killed.
Fifty-eight-year-old Ed Thomas was gunned down in June in the school's weight room. The one-time National Football League high school coach of the year won state titles in 1993 and 2001 and has four players currently in the NFL. A former player is accused in the killing.
The Aplington-Parkersburg Falcons plan to honor Thomas in a pre-game ceremony at their game Friday night. They'll play rival Dike-New Hartford and the game is set to be televised nationally on ESPN.
Players said they mourn the loss of their coach but are committed to living and playing as he instructed them so often.
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