From foes to friends

Sitting across from each other at a local eatery one recent morning, Douglas Henze and Ben Abercrombie kept their pre-existing allegiances relatively concealed for the better part of 15 minutes. Sure, they had described the intense nature of their alma maters’ rivalry, with Henze characterizing the experience of facing Hoover High School on Friday nights as a memory shrouded in “pure ecstasy.”

But pointed banter was held mostly to a minimum until the final, open-ended question: Do you have anything else to add?

The subtle shots began. 

“I was part of the first Spain Park team to beat Hoover,” said Henze, beckoning the image of a field goal post tumbling in October 2015. 

“We won state last year,” replied Abercrombie, a former starter in the Bucs’ secondary. “We won it sophomore year, won it senior year and then won senior baseball, too.”

“You going to pull the rings out?” asked Henze, a smirk on his face. 

Abercrombie refrained from displaying any bling, but next year, he might not be so bashful. If he adds to his collection, Henze will be able to flash an identical gem. 

The 2017 graduates of Spain Park and Hoover high schools are set to join forces this fall on the Harvard University football team, winners of three of the past four Ivy League titles. There, the two will put their minds together as they look to make an immediate impact on the Crimson defense. 

“Anytime you get that opportunity, I feel like you have to take it,” Abercrombie said of playing for Harvard. “Not everybody gets an opportunity to go learn at an Ivy League school. Once you graduate from there, the opportunities that follow are ridiculous. They’re never ending.”

So too, it seems, is the reality of Henze and Abercrombie sharing a football field. The pair first played together in fifth grade, when Henze held down the same position in peewee league as he does today: defensive lineman. Abercrombie at the time bounced between quarterback and linebacker. 

Despite tracing different paths through high school, both chose Harvard for similar reasons. They mentioned their campus visits, the welcoming atmosphere and the team’s familial vibe that reminded them of their programs back home.

Plus, it’s Harvard. The name carries weight, and it will continue to unlock doors long after their graduations.  

“I mean, football always ends,” said Henze, who aspires to study neurobiology and one day become a researcher. 

Abercrombie, on the other hand, plans to major in economics and become a financial manager.

The pair weighed other options before deciding to commit to the Crimson. Yale and Dartmouth, among others, contacted Abercrombie; Troy and Southern Miss reached out to Henze. But Harvard stood in a league of its own at the end of the day.  Considering their distinguished resumes, it’s not surprising they opted to go to Cambridge, Massachusetts. 

Both were members of multiple high school honor societies and boasted GPAs either near or above 4.0.  Henze, an Eagle Scout, also was named a Finley Award recipient this past school year. 

Both said it felt a bit surreal when they were notified of their formal Harvard acceptances. Abercrombie, who was originally offered last June, received his admittance letter in the winter. Henze didn’t receive his offer until December, and his acceptance letter arrived in May, barely in time for graduation.

“Up until that point, it was kind of just speculation,” Henze said. 

Not anymore. 

Both players are following Harvard’s summer workout schedule in preparation for the upcoming season. Henze, who is on a Crimson nutrition plan intended to add bulk, is training four days a week, while Abercrombie is training five days a week. 

Their report date is Aug. 15.

“I’m stoked for it. I’m ready,” Abercrombie said. “I know it’s going to be a challenge, but, I mean, nothing ever comes easy.”