Football falls short in first playoff game

The 2012-2013 Stagg Delta Kings achieved an outstanding record this season. The final three games all had meaning: going up against a tough contender for a close game, an easy but confident team for a record breaking win, and a seventh seed team for a playoff disappointment. The Kings showed the utmost dedication as an elite team that came oh so close.

St. Mary’s

As Stagg entered the field the crowd roared and the varsity players warmed up in excitement. It was quite an entrance, jogging on the field with zero seconds left on the JV scoreboard.

Besides the obvious excitement that filled the air, while the players continued to warm-up, people analyzed Stagg.

St. Mary’s student Alyssa Black says, “We’ll have to work a little harder; you guys have speed this year.” In previous years St. Mary’s dominated the games with their lightness of foot.

Going into the game 8-0 and St. Mary’s 6-2, it looks like the Delta Kings’ chances are good.

 But Stagg doesn’t strive for good, they strive for excellence.

And so the clock began.

Whether it was the mere intensity of the game, or the nerves coursing through every attendee’s body, the emotions showed on the field when a fumble gave St. Mary’s a quick second touchdown.

Coach Don Norton paced along the sidelines, yelling “Go!” to his star player Lester Williams.

He set up and executed most of the Kings touchdowns, but it was quarterback Wayne Brooks, junior, that made the crowd go wild as he sped past the members of the “green team” for a 76 yard touchdown.

If Stagg did so well, the obvious question stands.

Why didn’t the Kings win?

An interception at the two yard line by a Rams player with three minutes, twenty seconds left left the Delta Kings as ghosts.

“I got hit when I threw the ball,” Brooks said. ”I thought to myself, ‘I really just threw an interception.’”

The would be touchdown would have closed the gap, making it easier for a King comeback.

The clock was ticking, and from the reaction of the coaches and fellow teammates, it was ticking slowly.

Crowds left the game after the green jersey caught the ball.

“It was ours for the taking but it just wasn’t our time. It would have been amazing had this been our 300th win, against St. Mary’s,” a Stagg supporter said.

43-34 was the final score.

Stagg fought hard to the end.

West High

The following week was an expected win against West High.

On the field, quarterback Brooks, running back Williams, wide receiver Andre Lindsay, dominated the game.

Seeing Williams cross the endzone only 51 seconds into the first quarter provided that smile the team needed.

And from the field, the small crowd heard, “Stagg, we got this!”

It seems the Delta Kings did.

West High got shut down at every attempt they made at a touchdown, and worked thoroughly to make sure Stagg didn’t have the chance either. Those who attended would know they failed.

Needless to say, the home team defeating West 59-0 was a great way to celebrate Stagg’s 300th win.

So many records broken this season is more than enough to make the players happy; however it was time to train for a level jump, for playoffs were just around the corner.

Pleasant Grove

Rain woke everyone up to a refreshing Friday, but the team saw this as the make-it or break-it day for the football season.

After school, they held their normal 3:30 meeting to discuss team lineups and such detail; two hours later, in the varsity locker room a film was played. It held one message: Play each play like it’s your last play.

Jogging onto the field was not like before, the stands weren’t packed and the crowd wasn’t cheering. They warm up to the sound of music and the voices in their head saying, “You can do this.”

From the very beginning Pleasant Grove put up a fight, putting the first numbers on the scoreboard. But that wasn’t enough to bring Stagg down, especially in just one quarter.

The Kings had no problem keeping up their end of the game. After four interceptions thrown by Brooks, the game was still in good spirits, for the Kings had a 21-7 lead.

But the Eagles didn’t back down.

Two touchdowns made by the Eagles had made it a close game, leaving the score 21-19, until the fourth quarter.

It went down literally to the final minutes of the game.

The Delta Kings had held Pleasant Grove at the one yard line. They ended up going for a field goal that would win them the game.

By one point, the Eagles led the game with a minute left in the fourth quarter.

Like before the stands cleared and everybody was silent.

Stagg fought to the final seconds, ending on Pleasant Grove’s 25 yard line.

The noise from the other side of the field was louder than it had been the whole game. The players of Stagg’s varsity football team walked to the end of the field where they awaited Coach Norton. Silence. Tears.

Norton spoke.

“You took them down to the last play, and played as if it were your last play.”