This 75lb Wide Receiver Is Taking His Team To The Championships

Colerain High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, has an incredible football team.

Some of this has to do with talent. Some of it has to do with hard work. Some of it is the school's football program, hardcore team spirit, great attitudes, and good luck.

But a lot of it has to do with the players, the coaches, — the people that came together to create a family on the field. Those same people who came together last Friday to show the world that they're not just great football players, they're great people, too.

SHARE this article on Facebook. What an incredible story!

Meet Noah Kennedy.

Noah is a 17-year-old high school student in Cincinnati, Ohio. He stands 4'5" and weighs only 75lbs, but he makes up for it with his big personality.

Noah plans to graduate and go to college to study sports management like his stepfather, Jonathan.

He's in-and-out of the hospital every year, between appointments, Remicade infusions, and complications.

Noah has a lot of health issues, like Hirschsprung disease, severe asthma, blood disorders and Crohn’s disease, which have contributed to stunting his growth, but not quashing his spirit.

Since birth he's been told "he wouldn't..."

Noah told reporters that, "When I was younger, my mom was told that I wouldn’t make it past my 2nd birthday. Then she was told that I wouldn’t live past 4, then 8, then 13 and then 16. And here I am at 17, about to turn 18, proving all of those doctors (wrong)."

Not only is he still living, he's living his life to the fullest. But when he was told he wouldn't ever play high-intensity contact sports, he simply accepted that fact.

Noah loves football but has never been able to play.

Which is why when he started as a freshman at Colerain High School, he signed up to be the Cardinals' student manager. It was Elementary and Little Cards Night in 2012 when Noah first saw the Colerain Cardinals play. He wanted to be a part of the team in some way that made a difference, even if he'd never play.

This year, Noah's going to graduate.

He's been an integral part of the Cardinals' team since he signed on as team manager — every Friday night "just before opening kick at 7 p.m., he leads his team out of the locker room and onto the field carrying the school flag. When the game begins, Noah works the Cardinals sideline, making sure that coaches’ headsets work, water bottles are filled, and team spirit is high."

But not last Friday. 

October 28th, 2016, was Senior Night at Colerain High School. Fathers were invited into the locker room to hear Head Coach Tom Bolden gives his pre-game speech before the game against the Oak Hills Highlanders. The Cardinals were 9-0; the Highlanders were 4-5. It should have been a game just like any other, but this Senior Night was special.

Especially for one senior.

For Noah, that night would be the culmination of four years' worth of hard work. Four years of longing to join his teammates out on the football field. After four years, he was suiting up.

For Noah, October 28th, 2016, was a dream come true.

He started in the game that night as wide receiver for the Cardinals.

Colerain beat Oak Hills 48-20 that night.

And Noah was tasked with "sealing the victory" for the Cardinals: "I had worked hard and dedicated my life to this team to get that moment, and I loved every minute of it," he said.

Noah was overcome with emotion.

It was a night he'll never forget.

Now Noah can graduate happy.

He can follow his dream and study sports management at college and talk about back in the day when he played high school football.

Because he did play football.

That baby boy who wouldn't survive, the child who wouldn't thrive, the teen who wouldn't play sports, started for the best high school football team in Ohio on Senior Night and sealed their tenth victory of the season.

Congratulations, Noah. And good luck in the Division 1 Ohio State Championships, Cardinals!

Colerain posted this video to their Facebook page.

Way to go, Cardinals!