Wing Right Rip 32
It’s crazy how we pursue goals in life so hard but fail more than we succeed.
But still........ keep trying.
In my football career, I scored only 2 of what the ultimate goal in football is as a kid; touchdowns. The first came in 7th grade on a goal line run and the other came my freshman season on the Froshmore team.
Dillon, MT and Beaverhead County High School (BCHS) are small enough that there are two football teams; Froshmore (freshmen and sophomores) and Varsity (typically Juniors and Seniors).
My freshman year, the Froshmores were running the veer pro-style offense while the Varsity was transitioning to the no-huddle spread passing attack (this was fall 2002 by the way, which was before all of the craze of the spread offense you see in today’s football).
This would be the final season that we had this difference in offenses between the Froshmore and Varsity squads.
The uniforms were in transition as well. Froshmores wore the old royal blue with yellow while our helmets were gold with navy blue face masks. The Varsity looked like Notre Dame with Navy Blue jerseys and gold pants.
Coming from the Dillon Middle School (DMS) Cougars as a Running Back on offense and a Safety/Cornerback on Defense, I knew that I didn't want to be in the trenches on offense and transitioned to the Wing Receiver position. Safety and Cornerback suited me on defense still. Most of my playing time on defense and the more natural fit for me was at Corner.
The Wing position would go in motion, line up in the slot, and be a versatile role for the offense. It would get hand offs, catch passes, and line up in various parts of the field which fit my abilities.
Aside from the new position on offense, this was also the first time for me and my grade to be playing with another group of guys in an organized football setting. The sophomores were coming off of an undefeated Froshmore season the year before (much to their previous teammates, who were now juniors,’ credit).
Our dynamic and chemistry was much different than the season before. We were a fundamentally sound group as freshmen but had to take a back seat to the now sophomores and mix in.
During the beginning of the season, the coolest thing was getting practice uniforms. Something we didn't get at DMS. We wore the classic white canvas pants and what we saw as an upgrade for practice jerseys. They were mesh, navy blue, had your number and 'Beavs' in white (BCHS’ mascot is the Beaver) written across the chest.
Freshmen get the last choices of numbers and practice jerseys (much like when I was faced with picking a number in college) which left few options for me. Finally, I decided to go the wide receiver route and selected number 85.
Ironically, I would do most of my work for the season in 85 but would never dawn the number in a game. For some reason, there wasn't an 85-game jersey, so I ended up with number 9. 85 was Andy’s (one of the Homies) dad, Yogi's, number back in the day when he played for the Dillon Beavers in the 70’s, so that was a cool connection.
When it was show time though....I was number 9. This number ended up being significant to me and always will be. More on that later.
BCHS is classified as a Class 'A' level in Montana which is the 2nd largest league in the State. 'AA' is the largest classification.
On the schedule for the season were three games against 'AA' teams. A home and away series against Butte High School, which is 45 minutes north in Butte, MT. It was a good barometer for the year since we played Week 1 in Butte at Naranche Field and Week 9 at our home Vigilante Stadium. Despite improving over the year, we lost both games to the Bulldogs. We also played in Helena, MT (1.5 hours away) against Helena High School. The game began as a wooping but a lot of freshmen stepped up and played well during the game to close the gap. We came up short and lost but played well.
Then there was one non-conference game against Belgrade, who was Class ‘A’ at the time. We competed but weren't able to finish and lost.
In 2002, Dillon was in the Southwest 'A' Conference, so we would play 5 games against teams we would see for the next four years and finished with a 3 – 2 record in those bouts.
Another trip to Butte where we played behind the Civic Center on a trashy field against Butte Central Catholic High School saw us lose 38 - 0. The next week we had to run forty 50-yard sprints, one sprint for every point we lost by and two more for good measure for jumping off-sides. Butte Central - Dillon is a classic rivalry and a loss like that wasn't taken lightly. 0 - 3 on the year against Butte also hurt. One thing I'll never understand about that week is that the coaches had us dressed in our uniforms for the 45 minute ride there and back instead of changing in Butte. That was a miserable sweaty experience.
Corvallis High School, in Corvallis, MT came to Dillon and brought a few varsity players for good measure. Why they did that is beyond me. Froshmore wins are for the ego only. I guess Corvallis needed some sort of boost that season and they beat us with the older guys running all over our team.
So who did we beat?
Anaconda High School, in Anaconda, MT (20 minutes outside of Butte) was the first win of the year and a much needed W.
Hamilton High School, in Hamilton, MT (another Bitterroot team) was the second win. Feeling lethargic from a 2 hour drive, I thought we were going to get trounced with the lack of energy we had coming off of the bus. But, we woke up and won handily.
Now, let's get back to the illusive touchdown..
For some reason, Stevensville High School, in Stevensville, MT, (yet another Bitterroot team) couldn't field a Froshmore team which forced us into a freshmen only game.
My class was excited to be back to playing with just our grade and having our chemistry without the sophomores. It was a frustrating season and we all felt like we were better than our record.
The freshmen didn't disappoint as a group either. The energy was different. And despite having a tough year, this felt like a glimpse into a bright future.
Wing Right Rip 32
That was the play.
I would line up on the right, just off the Tight End, at the end of the formation (wing right).
The quarterback would raise his foot signaling me to go in motion (rip).
I started moving from right to left (just like I had been all game and season) only this time, before I would get across the formation like in times past, the ball would be snapped earlier. The quarterback, by slight of hand, would give me the ball and fake a hand off to the running back.
I was heading left when the flow of the rest of the team would be heading right.
It's a play that is strategically set up all game and exposes the true discipline of a defense. They think we are running right when I'm sneaking out to the left with one blocker in front.
"Set hut" the ball is in my hands and I'm running with a blocker in front of me. It takes the defense a few seconds to figure out where the ball is and they begin their pursuit but it's too late, I’m 15 yards down field. They eventually catch me just as I'm passing into the endzone. Touchdown!
The last time in my football career I would achieve the pinnacle. But what would begin a relentless pursuit.
"You guys have the nucleus to win state." Said our assistant coach, Ted Ori, after the game. Our class truly believed we would win state since before playing together at DMS. But it was encouraging to hear someone else say we had the potential and a nice reminder of who we could be in the future.
Freshman finished the season 1 – 0
Froshmores were 2 – 6
Overall for the year, we ended 3 – 6 (3 – 2).
Without knowing it, this was my introduction to setting goals, making a plan for those goals, executing the plan, and most importantly; falling in love with the process of it all.....not the results.
At this point in my padded football career, I had a 4 – 11 record overall. But I was so deeply in love with the game and the pursuit of winning it didn’t matter.
Reflecting on this time, I’m so thankful for the foundation that was laid during this season, because it would teach me the very same mindset that I would eventually take with me the rest of my life.
It's not about the touchdowns......it's about the pursuit.
Elevate
Alex deGolia
2002 Froshmore Dillon Beavers Schedule:
at Butte High – L – 0 – 34
vs Belgrade – L – 6 – 12
at Anaconda* - W – 12 – 6
at Helena High – L – 22 – 34
at Butte Central* - L – 0 – 38
vs Corvallis* - L – 16 – 19
at Hamilton* - W – 38 – 14
vs Stevensville*$ - W – 26 – 6
vs Butte High – L – 6 - 16
3 – 6 (3 – 2)
*Indicates Southwest ‘A’ Conference Game
$Indicates Freshman Only Game