By Dominic Scianna

Jason Hosey, current Prosser High School football coach, looked around the newly renovated Hanson Stadium in Chicago’s Belmont-Cragin neighborhood and couldn’t believe what he was experiencing. It was a perfect summer day on August 30 and his Falcons squad had just won its 2025 season opener over Proviso East High School by a score of 19-7, but the day proved to be much more than a single victory. 

It was a reunion and debut of the First Annual Alumni Football Game that brought about an unbreakable bond of brotherhood on display. Hosey, former coaches, teammates, and Prosser alumni and fans were back together again and it felt like time stood still when remembering past achievements, friendships, and glory days gone by.

His mentor, former head football coach Jerry Reed (2004-2011), was on hand for the festivities too, and it seemed like only yesterday that Hosey and Reed, along with honorees having their numbers retired on the afternoon (Isiah Wiggins, Fabian Connor, and Kenny McNeal) all were a part of the gold and blue tradition battling in the trenches for the Chicago Public League and Prosser High School.

“It makes me feel so warm inside to see the coaches now that have played for me then, embracing me and their former teammates while picking up the mantle and keeping Prosser football moving in a positive direction at this time,” Reed said. “The things that made me so proud (during my time on the sidelines) was the ability to be able to coach positively and it wasn’t just me and our coaches, it was the players and what they sacrificed for and what they put into it.” 

Honoring past Falcons greats Wiggins (Illinois State), Connor (Purdue University), and McNeal (Rockford College) posthumously, by retiring their jersey numbers during emotional halftime tributes, was especially poignant when remembering McNeal, who passed away in 2024 at the age of 37.

“Kenny is one of the first people I told I wanted to do this (become the head coach at Prosser) a few years ago,” said Hosey in remembering his dear friend. “He never got the chance to be a head coach before he passed away, so I never take this for granted because I know he would trade with me in a heartbeat. His family took me in and made me a part of their own so the emotions took over today.”

Hosey has had three winning seasons and amassed a 21-10 record in his first 31 games as his alma mater’s coach.

His 2025 squad responded, in kind, to pay tribute to the past Prosser warriors with a big win in front of a boisterous crowd of alumni and supporters that Saturday at Hanson Stadium. Senior running back Treyshaun Strong was the star, rushing for three touchdowns, and the Prosser defense also rose to the occasion and came up with big stops throughout the game to thwart a handful of Proviso East scoring opportunities.

“Coach Hosey told us this was going to be a big day for Prosser (with a lot of people coming back to see us play), so we wanted to win for him and play well for them,” Strong said. 

“I thank my line for opening up some big holes out there for me to run and my receivers had some great blocks too. Everybody did their jobs today.”

Hosey also may have found his quarterback of the future when senior starter Jayden Perez went down to injury early in the win.

Enter 5-foot-8-inch freshman JQ Collins, who took the reins of the offense midway through the game and helped lead the Falcons to victory.

“I was nervous coming in at first,” he said. “But I settled in and I was fine. Plus Treyshaun was unbelievable. Every time I handed him the ball, all I was thinking was first downs the whole time.”

His coach knows the potential is there. It will only be a matter of time.

“JQ’s very talented and he’s just a little over zealous right now but he will improve and that will come with time,” Hosey said. 

The day was special and it couldn’t have gone any better, admitted honoree Connor, who also serves as one of Hosey’s assistants and he himself is a former head coach in the Prosser coaching tree.

“At halftime it really showed how there’s a great culture of Prosser football,” acknowledged Connor. “We feel the culture, and we see it now more than ever, so we’re all just soaking it in. It was coach Reed. He built everything and we still have to remind our current players to keep their composure, have class, prepare, and stay together. To hear our coach talk today and speak about us really got to me and made me cry.”

And what about the new facelift at Hanson Stadium. What are the first impressions?

Coach Hosey had high praise for Hanson’s improvements.

“We’ve been waiting for this for a long time. It’s beautiful and I absolutely love what they’ve done to the stadium.”

“We’re finally back home where we belong,” said Connor with a smile.

Photos by Zoe Davis/OSA