Playoff game... Capital.... end of Season
It was our first playoff game...and would be our last football game as a bothell cougar, and for most it was even our last football game ever.
We were scheduled to play the Capital Cougars, a team we have played 3 years in a row. The Cougar Bowl. The advantage to this, is we knew how they played. The disadvantage....they knew how we played.
We had been having great practices ever since our win against Woodinville. You could tell we were becoming a team, a family. Practices were better, attitudes improving, and team chemisrty was higher then ever. We were looking like a great team.
Our bus left at 3:00 from Bothell to Ingersoll Stadium. Things were different. No one got taped at bothell, our meetings weren't at bothell, and we didn't suit up before the bus ride. Even tho all these things were different i had a feeling we were going to win, the same as we have been doing in our past games. I could see it in eveyones eyes, we were ready. The bus ride down went well, it went faster then i thought it would. We were allowed to talk, unlike other busrides that weren't 2 hours long. It was a shorter bus, so the seats werent the same either. Everyone was moved around a little bit from their traditional seats, but it all worked out pretty good. We finally pulled up to the stadium and it was time to get off.
We put our stuff in the locker room and walked around the field a little bit, to get used to it. They had a nice field..brand new field turf. We had some time before we had to get ready so we hung out in the locker room for a little while. People started getting ready, and taping started. It was getting closer to gametime. Then it was time for our meetings. I didn't really listen to my meetings like i usually do. i dont know why i just didnt feel like paying attention. After the meetings in was time for our first group to go out. I went out with them, walked around the field, talked a little bit with people, and just watched them warm up.
Gametime came.... and i had butterflies. "this could be our last football game..." i kept thinking this over and over again and kept getting more and more nervous. As soon as they ball was kicked off they all went away tho. It was a tough, good game. Capital played an amazing first half with 1 penalty and 0 turnovers. We would have to step our game up if we wanted to win. Halftime came and we all went into the locker room. The first thing i heard when i got in was Ayden Jones yelling. On our whiteboard it said "go big or go home". Ayden had tears in his eyes as he was giving a speech about going big because he didn't want to go home. He started pounding on the board and crying and yelling that he didn't want to home. I started crying because the fact that we might not get to play another game hit me hard. i didn't want to go home either. It felt good to see so much passion in Aydens eyes. He walked over to me and just smiled. I love that kid. The second half came and we played hard but didnt come out with the W. Capital is a good respectable team and they played to their ability and we didnt. they deserved the W.
Post game............
As the clock ran down i stood their...staring at it. Watching the last football game fade away. I didn't want it to end. I wanted the coach to call another time out, or for a team to get a penalty. i wanted the clock to stop running. i didnt want to see the clock hit 00:00. but it did. everything comes to an end. Tears started coming as we shook their hands and wished them the best of luck. Walking over to our fans felt good as they cheered us on even after a loss. We sang a last song to our B-Town fans:
One,Two,Three,Four....One,Two,Three,Four
I wanna be a Bothell Cougar....I wanna be a Bothell Cougar
I wanna wear that blue and white....I wanna wear that blue and white
I wanna be a state champion....I wanna be a state champion
I can't wait for Saturday night....I can't wait for Saturday night.
It was our last song so we tried to make it good. It was kinda hard looking up at the fans and knowing we wouldnt be able to see them cheer for us again. Fans... i love u all you were all amazing and u meant so much to the team. thank you.
Now came the hugs and tears....
Nick Jones was the first person i found. i dont know why but this hit me the hardest by far. i gave him a hug and started balling as i told him i was sorry i couldnt be out there with him and i was sorry i got hurt. He told me we can't conrol what happens and everyone still loved me no matter what happened. He said i was the heart of the team i was the biggest inperation for him. He thanked me for letting him wear my number and he wouldn't have asked for a better jersey to wear. I thanked him for representing me. He told me everything was going to be ok and that he loved me. I love you bro.
I stumbled upon John Musseau and gave him a hug. He told me we could have used me this year. I said i was sorry i couldnt play and im sorry things didnt turn out how we wanted, and sorry i couldnt run routes and catch passes from him. He started crying and told me he loved me and loved how i stayed apart of the team. I love you bro.
Ayden Jones came up to me and told me he played his heart out and gave it everything hes got, for me. he told me he tried his hardest and is sorry he let me down. I told him he didn't let anyone down and that i loved him and i was sorry i couldnt share my passion of football with him. he said "Pearcey no matter how games you played i still love you the same" I love you bro.
Carl and I hugged for a while. This ones up there with being really hard. We both started balling and i told him i was sorry i couldnt be out there with him to play football together like we talked about the season before. He told me i was the heart of the team and he played every play for me. He said he wished things could have been different but no matter what he still loved me. I love you bro.
Me and Tony talked about playing varsity football together since sophomore year. I said i was sorry things didnt work out like we wanted them to. I told him he had a great game. I love you bro.
I waited in line for a hug from Jason Domholt. Me and Jason always sat next to each other on the bus and he always gave me a piggy back ride from the bus to the gym, because my crippled ass couldnt make it that far lol. I thanked him for everything and im sorry i couldnt share senior year football with him. He said it didnt matter and he still loved me. I love you bro.
I found Drew and i didnt even say anything. Drew is the guy who got me to play football. Thanks dude. he told me he wished i could have played and he was sorry. We just hugged and cried for a while. I love you bro.
There were others that i just shared some tears with and i love every single one of you that was out on that field last night. Leslie... i hate you. haha thanks for puttin a smile on my face. Meagan...im glad you found me, i was hoping you would. : ) thanks.
it was time to get back on the bus, but i didnt want to leave the field. I found nick again and we hugged for a long time just crying. he asked me to be the last one off the field with him. how could i say no. so... we were the last people to leave the field. my parents found us and they both gave nick a huge hug cuz they think hes the shit for wearing my jersey and being a great friend. nick my dad doesnt hate u. haha.
well the bus ride home was fun but i cant write everything that happened because it would take way to much time (and this is long enough lol). i thought it would be sad but it ended up being a really good ride home.
we got to the gym with our fans and it was time to hand down stuff. I stood up and said even tho i couldnt play i still loved being a part of this football team and i thanked everyone for everything. i handed #3 down to Matt Roberts because he is a stud and is going to tear it up next year.
everyone handed their stuff down and we had a final meeting where Bainter told us he was proud of us. I love our coaches.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR SUCH AN AMAZING FOOTBALL SEASON. I LOVE EVERYONE WHO CAME TO OUR GAMES AND I LOVE ALL OF MY TEAMMATES AND COACHES. I WOULD HAVE GIVEN MY LIFE TO PLAY WITH YOU GUYS AND IM SORRY I COULDNT. YOU ALL ARE AMAZING. ONE TEAM... ONE HEARTBEAT...FOREVER.