#St. Dominic Varsity Shootout | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

harrison-tenzer · 5 years ago

Text

Pride on A. Forever.

The state championship last Saturday night was three years in the making.

I’ve told this story a couple times to the team over the last few seasons. After the last two Saturday’s, figured it was finally time to put it into a column.

My sophomore year, I was the “camera guy” for an Aquinas team that went 13-2 while cruising to a state title and a bowl game victory. Truthfully, that team was so good I remember the painful close losses more than any win except for Flanagan and States. We were so good, the night of states I couldn’t enjoy it because of the two losses. I felt that the team should’ve won the national title and had a third blue diamond on their ring that season. In the back of my mind I thought “whatever we’ll be back next year it can’t go wrong this is St. Thomas.”

I ended up moving to Texas the following August. That state title was the only one I would ever experience during my time as a student at STA. Following my move, the expectation was another state championship.

The year that followed did not meet the STAndard.

That season had a shutout loss to Centennial (Arizona), Miramar, and a 24-17 loss in the state semifinals to Venice. Just like that the seniors that had a chance to go “four for four” had played their last down.

The legendary run was over. A feeling nobody in the entire school from the student body to the players to the staff had experienced before.

The whole offseason that followed (my class) the class of ‘19 was hell bent on not letting another season be a failure like the seniors before them.

What followed was dominant wins over everyone on the schedule. The lone exception was a completely banged up team losing a shootout to Miami Central. The offense was flowing, the defense was somehow even better than the year prior, and there was a confidence and vibe throughout the team that nobody in america could score points on this defense let alone beat them.

Then, the state title game happened.

Lakeland ruined the dreams of finishing Aquinas state championship hopes by winning 33-20. Everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. Nineteen things had to happen for STA to lose that game. Every single one of them did. It was a complete gut punch and felt like another wasted season. To this day the senior class feels sick about that game and will never forget that loss.

What followed directly after the game was the Aquinas version of “The Promise”

Coach Harriott did what he does best, gather and lead men. He told a completely broken team that had just lost the state title he loved them and promised something to the seniors in the class of 2019. Next year when they come back for Christmas break Aquinas would be back where they were at that moment and win the state title for them.

At the time, not a single senior believed it. Whether or not it was by refusal to accept the loss, or lack of the unknown next year. None of the class of ‘19 believed it would or could be done.

The team in 2019 was supposed to be a rebuilding year with youth everywhere. A new sophomore Quarterback who hadn’t played a down of varsity ball, A sophomore running back, replacing a loaded wide receiver core outside of Rosemy, and of course replacing almost the entire starting eleven on defense.

When I came back by over the summer to visit everyone in June, I sensed the little bro’s needed some guidance. I talked to the team after workouts that day and in paraphrasing told them to “believe in each other and buy in”. I knew there was enough talent that this team could get it done. Even if there were some growing pains and lumps along the way, states would still be attainable.

When I returned home for STAtes week, the growth was unbelievable. The young kids grew up right before my eyes from when I last saw them in June. They were 13-0 in a way that I hadn’t seen at Aquinas before.

This team won despite getting punched in the mouth and overcoming adversity. Trailing to all four of their hardest opponents in De La Salle, Carol City, Deerfield Western, they came back and won. That was something I hadn’t seen in my time there as a student or the following two years when returning to see my brothers lead their team.

Last Saturday in the state title game, it happened again. A 14-0 hole early in the game with the defense giving up 99 and 97 yard drives. The most Demoralizing thing in football.

They didn’t quit.

A long run by Anthony Hankerson cut the lead to 14-7 heading into the half. At the break there was a sense of “we got this. We’re good.” Throughout the entire team. Whether or not that's from Coach Riley reminding everyone ”it wouldn’t be fun if it were easy” or Coach Harriott saying “there’s another 24 minutes”, or Derek Wingo leading his team like he has all season.

Right after that I went up to Quarterback Zion Turner and told him “you got this. You’re built for this S***. These coaches wanted you and nobody else for this.”

What followed was the best half of football I had seen from Aquinas in a big game in a long time.

The defense came out swarming, when you combine that and Zion coming out and rushing for two touchdowns. The third quarter was all Aquinas. Up 21-17 in the fourth, Young Zion had the throw of his life (so far) to Rosemy on a fade for what would be the game winning touchdown.

It was the perfect moment for Zion, For Rosemy as well to close out his story at Aquinas.

Edgewater didn’t quit though, They cut the lead to five and got the ball back with 1:20 to go with a shot to win the game.

Driving down the field to the 20 with 4 seconds left they had one final play to get in the end zone.

On the final play the ball was in the air for what felt like an hour, only to be picked off by none other than Marcus Rosemy.

That drive was a true test of the line the Aquinas program is built on. “Holding the rope”

As I stood there with five seniors from the class of ‘19 on the sideline watching the clock hit triple zeros. The feeling of excitement was an understatement. What followed was a mad dash on the field in celebration like our class had just won the state championship. The six of us were so happy, The kids had done it. The “worst St. Thomas team ever” ran the table and gone 14-0 with a state title. Coach Harriott had delivered on his promise.

I enjoyed last Saturday night’s state championship more than the one that was won my sophomore year. Maybe it’s because I’m older and appreciate how hard it is now, or maybe it’s the fact that this title will be one that is talked about at Aquinas for years to come. They weren’t supposed to be there, they were done, written off, 6-4 predicted record. They didn’t care. They finished the mission.

Oh yeah, and then the Dream season wasn’t over. Aquinas accepted a bowl game against 12-0 St. Louis. (Hawaii) at the location that will forever haunt the class of 2016.

Bishop Gorman.

The seniors that were freshmen that painful night had a chance to leave their own story on that field. Following the script with everything else this season, They damn sure did. After getting punched in the mouth and falling behind 13-7, The Raiders did what they had done all season, They dominated the second half to go on and win 35-19.

The team that wasn’t supposed to win had won again. For the first time since 2010 St. Thomas didn’t lose a game. Fifteen and zero, 15-0, undefeated, Whatever you want to call it. They didn’t lose a game. The raiders end their season by having a chance to have the diamond on their ring be the third blue one instead of just another silver.

The little bro’s did what nobody thought could be done. For that, I’ve never been more proud to call myself a Raider.

The moral of the story: Enjoy this one boys, Nothing is guaranteed. You all EARNED this. You’re the ELEVEN TIME STAte CHAMPS.

Pride on ‘A.

Forever.

0 notes