When the High School Football season started two weeks ago, we were cautiously optimistic about Marshall’s hopes for winning a game. It was the first time in 4 years that the Eagles football team had a coach return for a consecutive season. A 31-game losing streak can really take its toll. Imagine what the players felt when their fellow Marshall students jeered them for being part of a losing tradition. It was almost a joke. The school didn’t even have enough players on the JV team to play in the first week, which meant that Marshall forfeited the game. We’ve been going to Marshall Football games (home and away) for each of Steven’s four years at Marshall, and sometimes, we were the only ones in the stands.
After last week’s 34-0 loss to Salesion, it certainly looked like history was going to repeat itself. The boys’ confidence that showed a glimmer of light at the beginning of the season was all but extinguished. The only bright side to the week was one JV student’s efforts to recruit five new players to the JV team, just enough to play in this week’s game- not that they had any hope to win, but all the kids really wanted to do was play.
And play they did! On a hot Thursday afternoon on Marshall’s pathetic excuse for a football field, Marshall’s JV team stepped up to the proverbial plate and played their hearts out against Poly Technic. By no means was it a pretty game- Marshall didn’t score one point on offense. But it was the defense that kept them in the game. Not only did they hold Poly to only one touchdown, but Marshall’s defense picked up a fumble and ran the ball in for a touchdown, putting 6 points on the board- a welcome sight after so many games going scoreless. Late in the game, Marshall also forced a safety, which added 2 more points and putting them up for good by one point. Mark was part of that experience- playing offense, defense, and special teams. Being his first football game ever, he showed confidence and heart- making key tackles and blocks, earning him defensive player-of-the-game accolades from the coaching staff.
Now that JV won, with the Varsity team watching and celebrating with them, the pressure was mounting for the Varsity team to take care of business on Friday afternoon. After JV’s game, all of the Varsity players were chanting to each other- Win, or Die… Win, or Die. They certainly didn’t want to hear it for the rest of the year that JV is better than Varsity.
Friday’s Varsity game was also at Marshall vs. Poly Technic. The cheerleaders were out in force, and the marching band played their hearts out in the beating sun- the two groups constituting more than half of the crowd gathered to watch the game.
The game started in familiar fashion. Marshall coughing up a fumble on the opening drive, putting Poly in a position to score on the very next play. Just like that, it was 7-0. Before long, it was 10-0, and you could see the players start to doubt themselves on the field and on the sideline. But soon enough, things turned around. Marshall was moving the ball, and making stops on defense, preventing Poly from getting in scoring range on several possessions. Marshall’s first touchdown was a beauty. On fourth and goal from the 3 yardline with less than 10 seconds left in the half, Marshall’s quarterback plunged toward the goalline only to be stopped short by about a yard and a half. But the rest of the team refused to allow him to go down and they formed a wave of muscle, fat, sweat, and utter determination to push him forward over the goalline for a touchdown.
That was just the beginning. Marshall racked up 23 more points before Poly was able to score again late in the fourth quarter. The two teams traded a couple more touchdowns before the dust settled, and the final score read 36-24. Marshall Wins! Marshall WINS!! MARSHALL WINS!!! The crowd went wild, and the players jumped, danced and embraced each other as if they won the Superbowl. As they should. Yes, it was only one win, but a win that was 4 years in the making. A win that I personally have been wanting to see every time we went to the game- every week for four years. I can’t imagine how the boys feel. I am just so proud of my two boys that were able to be a part of it, and for the rest of the boys that deserve to know how it feels to win. I just hope the rest of the school appreciates how hard they worked for the spirit of the school. They endured the effort, pain, and heartache for far too long to not reap the benefits of victory. The school should be proud, the Eagles are soaring again- even if it is for only one game- the glory will last a lifetime for these young men.
GO EAGLES!!!
Shamir Merino
