We Should've Run Zeke

I'm not going to post an article with all the stats. I'm just not going to. Why would anyone want to read about the yards Independence gained when it wasn't enough? The whole story would be depressing to wright. That awesome flee flicker...the 2 point conversion...the recovered onside kick...Jason Bianco's touchdown...but none of those were enough to defeat Kirtland. Not enough, not enough, not enough. Not enough.

It wasn't like Independence didn't try. It was a 4 quarter battle, where Kirtland only played well in one quarter. Neither teams played to their caliber, which was very tough to watch.

At the end of half time, both bands were instructed to go back inside the high school to have our 3rd quarter privilege, which is basically 15 minutes of eating, socializing with people from the other band, and of coarse no playing. I had a good time in the high school, but I would've killed to be in the stands watching the game. I wanted so badly to return to the field for 4th quarter with Independence leading by a large margin, but the score was 21-3. And Kirtland was not the 3.

I think I wanted to go to the playoffs more than anyone in the whole band, the student body, and even possibly some football players. There was nothing that I wanted more last night than for Independence to pick up the slack and whip Kirtland, carrying us to the playoffs. But it didn't happen. Sometimes bad things happen and you don't know why for days, or months, or years.

As the clock ticked down to zero, and the football players and cheerleaders linked arms in front of the band to sing the Alma Mater, I realized how nice it is to dream. And to hope. A loss is never easy to take, but last night's lose made me really sad. I shouldn't really care about a win or a loss, but I wanted Independence to make the playoffs so badly, and now they are slowly slipping away. I suppose a miracle can happen (let me remind you that Golden State blew a 3-1 finals lead) but the dreams and hopes aren't as vivid as they were a week ago.

I stood in parade formation waiting for everyone to line up so we could exit Alumni Field after the game last night, and I looked over to where the football team was holding their meeting. The players were kneeling down around the coach. Most of them had their eyes trained on the turf, playing with their shoelaces, giving their hands something to do. But some of them looked at the coach with an intensity I've never seen before. I know they wanted the win. And from the look in some of the player's eyes, I can tell you that next week, Independence will be prepared to win and beat Hawken on the road.

Why didn't they stop number 4, who had two huge runs for a total of two touchdowns? If only they stopped number 4. If only, if only, if only. It doesn't matter, now, because you can't go back and right your wrongs. What happened, happened, and although it is sad to digest and accept, sometimes losses do incredible things for a team.

Do you remember when Ohio State fell to Michigan State last November? I know I do. "Why did Ohio State only get 5 first downs?" "Why did Ohio State only cross the 50 once in the entire game?" "Why didn't they run Zeke?" For those people still wondering why Ohio State didn't run Ezekiel Elliott, it is because Zeke was hospitalized earlier in the week with a leg infection that was still bothering him on that dreaded, raining evening.

The point? Excuses don't make any situation better. They only secret away the truth, and living in denial only hurts you and the people around you.

But what happened the next week against The Team Up North? Ohio State rebounded and got together as a team. They worked together in practice, and on the field to beat their rival. And I have reason to believe that Independence will rebound similar to the way Ohio State did, and beat Hawken next week.

Losing to Kirtland was very hard, but we must work hard to prepare for the game next week. Because if the sun can rise after the rain, we must certainly be able to rise after a defeat. It doesn't matter how many times you fall to the ground. It matters that you get up every time you fall.