I want to add these pictures that appeared in our local newspaper today along with a story about Eagle's win last night.  Any other time if I would have seen a picture like the first one and I would have thought....there is a football player kicking a ball.  Now that I have experienced what this young man had on his shoulders and what was at stake I see pictures like this in a new way.  The news paper article told the story how he warmed his leg "just in case" something would happen and our team would get the ball back.  When he realized that is what happened he ran to the coach and asked to be put in to kick the field goal.  He was confident he could do the job and he was right.  Notice the fans in the background...and how I told you earlier everyone had their hands on their faces..

And here is the kicker after:

Have a great evening!

What an incredibly emotional night we had.  First off if I ever go to a professional sports event I am ok arriving just minutes before the game starts.  I don't need to see them warm up before the game or anything like that.  Mike's game started at 7:00PM last night and we had our buns in the seats by 4:30!  Since it was a quaterfinals game we wanted to make sure we got seats....good ones.  Thank goodness we arrived so early because this stadium was like no other that we had been to before.  It was actually a very beautiful stadium.  Their tax money was put to some good use.  However, both home and away fans sit on the same side of the stadium.  They have the visitor section marked off from the 30 yard line to the end zone.  We normally sit at the 50 yard line so the seating was not the best but we had to do what we had to do.  Another odd thing is the cheerleaders had to stand right next to each other and cheer.  What I mean is you had the home team cheering and 6 feet away was the visitor team cheerleaders.  And our guys were across the field on the other side where they are used to us being right behind them cheering them on. 

The opposing team got the ball first and worked the clock for close to 5 minutes before scoring a touch down.  When we received the ball we scored our first touch down after 40 seconds of working the clock.  From then on it was match for match in touchdown scores.  At half time the score was 14-14.  After half time each team scored another touchdown.  There was a ref on the field that was making his own game.  Each time the ball needed to be spotted on the field he would move it 2-3 hash marks in the the opposing teams favor.  Parents from Mike's school were getting very upset.  It was completely unfair what this ref was doing and I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't get some calls made on him today.  The clock gets down to 43 seconds and the game is tied 21-21.  Us parents in the stands start chitter chatting about how it all works in overtime play since that looked as if where we were headed.  The opposing team has the ball and they decide they are going to march down the field in the remaining 43 seconds instead of sitting on the ball and going into overtime.  They are at the 28 yard marker of our end zone.  The quarterback takes the snap goes up to throw the ball, someone on Mike's team deflects it and another guy on Mike's team catches it.  There are now 4.7 seconds left on the clock.  We are at our own 28 yard marker and we send in our field goal kicker.  Our kicker is amazing.  He is actually a soccer player but since the school is so small we do not have a soccer program.  He has made all but 1 of the extra points this season.  His kicks are always so precise and money for the extra point.  We had never been in a situation this whole season long to have to settle for a field goal so this was his first attempt at making one.   And the ball was not lined up in the center of the field so it was going to be a little tricky for him.  He walks out to get ready to kick and the opposing team calls a time out.  After the time out the players get back in position again and the opposing team calls another time out.  Us parents stand in the stands with our hands on our faces and every mother had tears in her eyes.  We wanted the win so bad but we also knew the pressure our kicker was under.  We didn't want the loss to come down on him.  After all....he was our homecoming king!  Then the guy catching the ball from the snap had to do his job precisely or our kicker wouldn't be able to get the kick off.  Our guys on the line had to make sure they did their job so that the opposing team couldn't get in arms reach of blocking the kick.  The ref blows the whistle and game play is under way.  The ball is snapped and put in position.  Our kicker kicks the ball and the kick is GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!   Oh my....tears come to my eyes again reliving the moment.  Mike's team won the quaterfinals!!!!!!!!!!!! 

We stood in the stands and waiting for our boys to finish up on the field and as they walked towards the crowd we cheered them and they held their helmets up to us (more tears).  We quickly ran to where they would be coming off the field.  Our star running backs come out and they cried out to their parents that they loved them so much (I don't know if I am going to be able to finish typing this as tears are streaming down my face....and I am at work!).  The d-ends come out and were all smiles.  The crowd roars.  Then our kicker comes out and we all rush around him and hug him.  Then Mike comes out.  You could tell the determination in his eyes that he wanted only one person......his dad!!Oh my......tears! tears! tears!   He ran to my husband and they held each other in a long embrace.  Mike was crying.  I am crying.  They both keep telling each other how much they love each other and my husband told him how proud we are of him.  He walks off to the locker room and we wait for the guy who did it all.  The one that caught the deflected pass.  He was the last one to walk off the field.  We all hugged him as he came off the field.  He deserved this moment.  A moment he will remember for the rest of his life.  If it weren't for him catching the deflected pass we wouldn't have put our kicker on the field and won the game! Glory be to John!  The person who deflected the pass deserves the credit as well but we do not know who that was.  We are hoping to find that out today.  It was an awesome win.  Our boys played so hard and deserve the high they are on right now.   11-0 ..... it takes dedication, hard work, team work, and love to be where they are.  They are just incredible young men.  I am proud to know each and every one of them.

We go on to play district finals on Saturday.  It is going to be an extremely tough game.  The team they are playing has won state for the past 3 years.  Please wish us more luck!