Best Game E-VER.

I thought LC's OT football win at Friday Harbor last week
was the most exciting game I'd been to in ages.
Well, that was small stuff compared to tonight...
tonight's was maybe the best game ever.
E-VER.

On another occasion, you may see more scintillating offense.
Or more dominating defense.
Or improbable interceptions.
Or whatever.

But this win was all about context.
Meridian.
On their home field.
At their homecoming game.
Wet turf, rain, gusty breezes.
A 6-year drought against this opponent.
LC seniors who, in one player's words,
"Were sick of getting beaten by Meridian".

There was no question that the seniors
led this effort:
it was like watching a completely different team
than the first time LC met Meridian this fall.

And tonight, they WON.

The LC defense held,
and held,
and held...
for 6 interminable minutes at the end of the game.
They bent but never broke.
And with, literally, one second remaining,
the outcome was finally decided.

Props
To the O-line for protecting the quarterback
(amidst the mud, his jersey was still white at the end of the game),
and for busting Niels loose on those two awesome TD runs
to start the game.

To the D-line for tracking down the Trojan runners
with tenacity, and then wrapping them up.

To the D-backs for containing the Trojan receivers
and breaking up numerous pass plays.

To Special Teams for your best return coverage of the season.

To the coaches for some unbelievably gutsy play-calling
(namely the two-point conversion).

To Joey for being the gigantic target with soft hands
that made the two-pointer work.

To David G. for staying on his feet on the final kick-off return
and putting room between our offense's backsides and the end zone.

To all the offensive players that kept the ball moving up the field.

And to the LC fans who got on their feet
and made a whole bunch of noise
to cheer our boys on to give their all.
And that's just what they did;
they truly left it all on the field.
No regrets.

So, maybe instead of calling this the best game ever,
I should call it
"the best game...YET".
Who knows what could happen next week?!

I'm so happy for all of you guys.
WAY TO GO, fellas.

On the Road

Am writing from the lobby of a Hampton Inn.
Cami and I are having a wonderful adventure.

Wednesday night and this morning with the Wilkenings.
Shopping this afternoon.
Dinner at Cheesecake Factory.
More shopping.
THE dress found and purchased.
Now settled at the hotel...TV, magazines and a dip in the hot tub.

Good times. Girl times.
I'm surprised we still have our voices...
we've been talking almost non-stop.

Tomorrow, football.

Woo hoo!!!

My husband is awesome for holding down the fort while
we shop and explore and bond. Thanks a ton, sweetie.

(Practically) Counting the Hours

Less than two days from now, I'll be out of town.

No, I'm not going to Hawaii or Mexico or any other exotic locale.
I'm just heading south with my daughter;
driving down to Seattle to visit friends,
shop for Cami's dress for the winter dance,
and then hit an LC football game (in Friday Harbor, of all places) on the way home.

A long time ago, the fam marked these dates off for an outing,
but plans fell through, and Cami and I were able to
take advantage of the days off of school to have an adventure.

What a blessing that we ENJOY spending time together,
can't wait for it, in fact.
And knowing that two years from now,
she'll likely be away somewhere at college,
I'm just savoring every moment of mom-and-Cami time.

So, let's see...I think we're down to about 42 hours...
and 17 minutes...
and 38...37...36...35 seconds...
but who's counting?!

ME!!!!!

Tag - I'm "It"

If you're on my blog as a result of Tam's "tag", here's what you're looking for...

.5 You may or may not already know the basics about me...avid reader, love football, grew up on a dairy farm, turned 40 this year, married with 3 kids, employed PT at church. OK...

1. I've never been water-skiing, wake-boarding or inner-tubing behind a boat. Moving along water at high speeds and wearing very little protection does not sound like a good time to me.

2. I have a thing for valleys. Some people like the ocean or the mountains; I'm always enchanted by valleys. Don't know why, particularly, they just please my eye. Disclaimer: I'm NOT excited about valleys if they're deep and begin immediately past the shoulder of the road!

3. I love pickled beets. Especially my mom's homemade ones. YUMMMMMMM! My husband and children think I'm weird (for this - haha).

4. If I had extra money laying around, I'd buy myself a really nice camera. I'm fascinated by the possibilities of communicating through images and hope to learn more someday.

5. Whether or not they deserve it, I irrationally dislike the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers.

6. At age 11, I competed in a national track meet - the ARCO Jesse Owens Games. I finished in fourth place in the long jump, just out of the medals. I also met Jesse Owens. WAY cool. Side note...the other famous people I've met are Tom Landry (ironic, considering my dislike of the Cowboys) and Tom Brokaw (well, Jim and I shared an elevator with Tom Brokaw, I guess we didn't really "meet" him).

7. Perfect weather: clear skies, 75 degrees and a slight breeze, or clear skies, 35 degrees, sunny, crisp and cold.

So now you know. Thanks for the tag, Tam. This was fun. I don't know how to tag and link the other people (maybe that should be point #7.6 "I am technologically challenged but improving"); maybe my computer-genius husband can help me and I'll pass the tag along. :)

Happy day, all.
Megan

All Good Things Must Come to an End(even in football)

Meridian 21, LC 7

Tough game tonight.
I know there are some frustrated Lyncs boys,
And maybe some who are beating themselves up...
I hope not.

Meridian is NOT dumb,
and they ARE athletic,
and they successfully kept their d-backs in our receivers' hip pockets
(bet you didn't know football pants HAD hip pockets, did ya?).
I gotta give it to the Meridian defense;
they really had our passing game's number.

I try very hard to be respectful of the refs because I SURE wouldn't
want to be doing their job,
but there was some officiating in this game that I simply did not understand.
By the time the refs started calling pass interference against the Trojans,
it was essentially too late.
Also, it seemed we were robbed by a call voiding what appeared
to be a touchdown reception at a completely
critical juncture in the game, trailing 14-7.

Too many untimely penalties.
Too much Meridian D.
And, in my humble opinion, too much inexplicable play-calling by the Lyncs staff.
Enough said.

I really don't care if we win or lose, or what the score is.
I don't care, except for the hearts and minds of the boys who play.
I hope they don't lose their love of the game,
their determination,
their confidence.

I hope that,
despite all the work and time and sweat and dedication
they put in to be able to play, they can remember
IT'S STILL A GAME,
and only a game.

And it's a journey of learning...
learning about opponents,
learning about challenges,
learning about how to adapt
and persevere
and have fun
just for the love of sport and team and athleticism.

I'm proud of our boys.
As far as I could see from the sidelines,
they deported themselves well throughout,
toward each other, the refs and their opposition.

I hope they sleep well tonight
and enjoy the weekend
and re-enter football world on Monday
with eagerness.