LLT
09-04-2010, 10:56 AM
Friday night football in the Heartland. It's a tradition.
Its a time for the high school band kids to play and dance to selected tunes meant to stir up the crowd. Its a time for Moms and girlfriends to wear the players "other" jersey. It's more than just a sporting event. Its a social gathering, a meeting place for locals from all across the country to meet and to cheer on their young men.
The amount of emotion that is spent on these events is incredible, and none more so than when the high school team plays their rival.
Last night was one of those nights. The rival was ranked as the 2nd best team in the state. The local school wasnt supposed to be able to stay with them. They were bigger and they were faster. It was dissapointing but not surprising to see the favorites pull out to a 13-0 lead very early in the game.
The local team wasnt about to roll over. They were playing in front of the home crowd, and if they couldnt win, well at least they would hang in till the end and walk off the field with their heads held high.
To everyones surprise they overcame deficits of 13-0 and 19-7. In the course of playing for pride, they began to wonder if they might actually be able to beat Goliath. late in the game the score was 31-22 and the local team began to see something in the eyes of the giant that gave them hope. They saw doubt. They were able to score again. Now they trailed 31-29.
They held the favorites but a 59-yard punt pinned the underdogs inside their 1. A 15 play drive and two penalties suddenly put the locals within field goal range with less than a minute to play.
They tried to pass...incomplete. They tried a sweep around the left side...a gain of 1 yard. They ran up the middle...stopped at the line of scrimmage.
The field goal team ran on. It was going to be a try of 44 yards. Hard for a college or pro player with the existing wind conditions. Rare for a high school junior.
The ball was snapped...the kicker connected solidly....and watched as the ball turned end over end. A low trajectory foretold the expected outcome. The ball hit the goal post with 2.5 seconds left on the clock.............and bounced through for 3 points.
This was the game that I watched last night.
I love me some Steelers football, but there is something to be said for watching the joy on the face of a 17 year old boy as he is placed in the position to live a dream....to be the hero...to kick the game winning field goal against a rival.
Very cool.
Its a time for the high school band kids to play and dance to selected tunes meant to stir up the crowd. Its a time for Moms and girlfriends to wear the players "other" jersey. It's more than just a sporting event. Its a social gathering, a meeting place for locals from all across the country to meet and to cheer on their young men.
The amount of emotion that is spent on these events is incredible, and none more so than when the high school team plays their rival.
Last night was one of those nights. The rival was ranked as the 2nd best team in the state. The local school wasnt supposed to be able to stay with them. They were bigger and they were faster. It was dissapointing but not surprising to see the favorites pull out to a 13-0 lead very early in the game.
The local team wasnt about to roll over. They were playing in front of the home crowd, and if they couldnt win, well at least they would hang in till the end and walk off the field with their heads held high.
To everyones surprise they overcame deficits of 13-0 and 19-7. In the course of playing for pride, they began to wonder if they might actually be able to beat Goliath. late in the game the score was 31-22 and the local team began to see something in the eyes of the giant that gave them hope. They saw doubt. They were able to score again. Now they trailed 31-29.
They held the favorites but a 59-yard punt pinned the underdogs inside their 1. A 15 play drive and two penalties suddenly put the locals within field goal range with less than a minute to play.
They tried to pass...incomplete. They tried a sweep around the left side...a gain of 1 yard. They ran up the middle...stopped at the line of scrimmage.
The field goal team ran on. It was going to be a try of 44 yards. Hard for a college or pro player with the existing wind conditions. Rare for a high school junior.
The ball was snapped...the kicker connected solidly....and watched as the ball turned end over end. A low trajectory foretold the expected outcome. The ball hit the goal post with 2.5 seconds left on the clock.............and bounced through for 3 points.
This was the game that I watched last night.
I love me some Steelers football, but there is something to be said for watching the joy on the face of a 17 year old boy as he is placed in the position to live a dream....to be the hero...to kick the game winning field goal against a rival.
Very cool.