Warren High Student Sets $5,000 Goal for Cancer Families at Playoff

A Lake County community united behind a teenager in 2023, and that memory is now driving a new fundraising effort in Warren. Mike Papouras, a junior cornerback at University School, has set a goal of raising $5,000 for the CK Foundation, a charity that aids families battling childhood cancer.

The fundraiser, titled "Some Things are Bigger than Football," is tied to University School's playoff game against Howland on Friday night. The event will feature a Gold Out, where players wear gold decals and laces to match the official color for childhood cancer awareness. Papouras said the primary goal is to provide direct financial support to families currently navigating the fight against the disease.

The initiative stems from a 2023 game in Mentor, where 17-year-old Jack Sawyer was named honorary captain of the Mentor High Cardinals. At the time, Sawyer was fighting Ewing sarcoma, an aggressive form of bone cancer. During that match, players from the opposing Euclid team, who wore yellow, presented Sawyer with a shirt bearing the phrase "Some Things are Bigger than Football." The stadium announcer also read a note from Sawyer that read, "Remember my motto, PACE: Positive Attitude Changes Everything."

Papouras was 13 years old when he witnessed the 2023 tribute. His father was the superintendent of Euclid City Schools at the time. Papouras recalled realizing that many students faced challenges far greater than his own. He stated that he wants to make the journey a little easier for those children and their families. Sawyer died shortly after his appearance as honorary captain.

This fall, Papouras reached out to Dawn Sawyer, Jack's mother, to ask for her permission to continue the tribute. In his letter, he noted that he had never met Jack but admired a peer who loved football and still found ways to lift others up. Dawn Sawyer described the gesture as amazing and expressed deep pride in Jack's legacy. She is expected to join Papouras on the field for Friday's game.

Support for the cause extends to Jack's former school. A Mentor High football player contacted Dawn Sawyer to confirm that the entire Cardinals team will wear yellow socks during their Friday night game against Euclid. The player noted that the seniors specifically wanted to find a way to remember Jack. Justin Hodge, a former Mentor student now playing at Miami University, is also credited with helping keep the memory alive.

Dawn Sawyer expressed gratitude to the young athletes for their continued support. She said the community's ongoing championing of Jack's motto, PACE, serves as a powerful reminder of his impact.