The State Play-Offs

"Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss it you will land among the stars." Les Brown


I really do not like the end of this quote. Its inaccuracy bugs me. You would have to really overshoot the moon to land amongst the stars. If you don't make it to the moon, you really just kind of float aimlessly outside of the atmosphere unless there is something to bring you back to Earth.

The football team wasn't expected to go very far this year. Nobody thought they would win all but one game in their conference. Nobody thought they would go all the way to the state playoffs. But the boys didn't bother to listen to what "Nobody" thought. They slaughtered their way through their competition. They fought their way to the top. They shot for the moon, and last Friday the moon came out to watch them compete in the state play-offs.

It was a very cold night, and the game started later than normal. I knew Matt wouldn't play until the end of the game, so I kept the kids home in the house to stay warm. About halfway through the game we bundled up and made our way to the field.

I found Matt and the rest of the boys who weren't playing watching the game intensely. They were already losing 21-0 when we got there, but they still had a fight left in them.
I don't know why it touches me so much when the boys go their knees when a teammate is down. It does, though. It really does.
The Tigers got the ball back, and began powering down the field one down at a time.
They were determined to not walk away with a zero on their side of the board.
So they just kept moving down the field,
while their teammates followed them down the sidelines.
After several downs and tackles
(hey guys, incoming "ouch!") They finally made a touchdown, and picked up the extra point kicking the field goal.
At this point I went to take some pictures of the band for Crytal (not married to Nathan), and that was when Matt was sent in to play for about 30 seconds.
I didn't have time to even get my camera focused on him before he as brought back out and the game was called.
They didn't win the state play-offs, but the really important thing is that they made it to state against all the odds. You played a great season, guys.
I took the last shot of the coaches talking to the team after the game. (Matt told me when they got back to the field house, his coach officially "fired" them all for year.)
Then I watched my boy walk off the field for the last time this year. It was sad to see them disappointed, but I personally feel disappointment can be a great motivator. They shot for the moon, landed on their feet, and "Nobody" would be wise to not underestimate them next year.