Running Wild: High School RB Has 658 Yds/Game

[Roy Tucker]

Matewan HS guestbook...

http://htmlgear.tripod.com/guest/con...mhs&i=1&a=view

They're taking quite a beating.

[TRF]

Well last night was my son's last game of the year. He's on the freshman team. He didn't play in the first half, and Lubbock Coronado scored twice. My boy went in in the second half, and his defensive prowess was evident as Tascosa shut them out in the second half. He had 5 tackles for a loss of yardage, but one play stands out.

Keep in mind, this is his first season of football since the 2nd grade.

The Coronodo running back breaks through for about 5-6 yards when he hits a traffic jam of offense and defense. The pile is slowly moving forward. For a freshman, this kid had some size. The whistle has not blown. Then from the left, #66 is running full steam towards the mass of players. I figured he'd just hit them.

What happened next caught me completely by surprise.

He speared the whole group. At least 6-7 players. Some were his teammates. After the play was whistled dead, his sideline erupted when he came off the field.

Coronado won 12-0, and while our boys would have liked to have won, after the game they were all smiles. Their coach was waiting outside the gym, and greeted each kid before they got on the bus for the two-hour trip home. He thanked them for their hard work, and let them know that the season is over, but the work goes on. Weight room on Monday, and off season workouts start right away.

As I typed this, I have the stupidest smile on my face.

Tonight we return to Lubbock as the Varsity plays Coronado for the final playoff spot. My daughter is a varsity cheerleader. If they win, the next game is in Dallas. They have a real shot at this. My daughter could be cheering in Texas Stadium.

Again really stupid smile.

But back to the sportsmanship. I didn't hear a single kid trash Coronado after the game. We make fun of baseball GM's that say "He plays the game the right way..." but there is some truth to that. Sean Casey and Dmitri Young have a pretty similar skill set. But it's Casey that we all loved. even when he was ailing it was hard to hate on the man. Parents are a big part of that, but his influences don't stop there. Teachers and coaches along the way help mold these kids into the adults they become.

I'm eager to meet the adults my kids are becoming. And I thank their teachers, coaches, dance instructors, ROTC Commanders, and gymnastic trainers all the time.

[TRF]

Sometimes things just don't work out the way you hoped.

Turns out, their next game is in El Paso.

go Rebels!

Friday night was an outstanding game that had the score deadlocked at 14 at the half. Tascosa's D stiffened in the second half allowing only a touchdown, and the final score was Amarillo Tascosa 35, Lubbock Coronado 20. But it was closer than the score indicated. Tascosa scored twice in the final 5 minutes to go up by 15. One heckuva game. 1st playoff appearance by the Rebels in 13 years.

So my daughter goes south to El Paso on friday, with the game being played the next day. Sadly, we can't make the trip. Hopefully they win, and we get another opportunity. The football team, cheerleaders and students that made Friday's trip to Lubbock celebrated on the field for over half an hour. Coronado was gracious in defeat as was Tascosa in victory. Our boys stood in line behind Coronado as their band played their school song. Then they turned, went to our sideline and we sang our song. The first thing Tascosa's coach did after being hired 2 years ago was find out if there were words to the fight song. It had been so long since the school had any school spirit, nobody knew if there were word. He made it mandatory that all his players learn the song.

Parents, students, cheerleaders and players were in tears singing it knowing the next game was the beginning of the playoffs.

It was the best game I watched all weekend.