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OGDEN -- While there are still unanswered questions in the Ogden accident that killed two innocent bystanders Wednesday night, there is one thing for certain: those victims were loved and well-respected in their community.
Friday night, the Weber High School lacrosse team made a special tribute to one of those young men.
Signing a light pole, the center of a makeshift memorial, there are tears from the Weber High School lacrosse team. Blake Strebel was one of their coaches.
"It didn't really sink in until today that he's gone," said senior Jeremy Beames.
While Strebel was a coach of the sophomore team, he also worked closely with all players.
"He was a great coach," said sophomore Austin Muno.
Strebel was riding home with roommate Derek Jasper Wednesday night when their car was T-boned by a Cadillac being chased by police. Both died at the scene.
Eighteen-year-old Jasper, described as generous and loving, was expecting his LDS mission call next week; 19-year-old Strebel was studying criminal justice.
Strebel played lacrosse for Bingham High School back in the day and was passing along his love of the sport. The students he coached believe the proper way to pay tribute to him is "in [their] hearts with a game of lacrosse."
That's what the team did Friday night, facing off against Mountain Crest, with stickers honoring Strebel on their helmets as well as black knee bands and T-shirts.
We asked them, 'It's up to you. How do you want to do it? What do you want to remember Blake by?'" explained sophomore coach Levi Johnson.
They wrote Strebel's initials on their faces; the years of his birth and death on their knuckles. On the field, they kept memories of the young coach in their heads.
"We're here to play in Blake's memory; going to give it everything we've got just like Blake would want us to do," Johnson said.
E-mail: sdallof@ksl.com
