37 Seconds

“We’ve got 37 seconds left!” Coach Baranco screamed at the football players during the game last Friday.

37 seconds was all it took.

The Mac vs Round Rock game Friday night in Round Rock was a regular game complete with rough tackles, a screaming student section and a tied up scoreboard.

With less than 15 seconds left and the scoreboard still wasn’t tied up. The usually rowdy and boisterous student section shut up and everyone was awaiting to see if the boys would prove themselves in the last few seconds of the game and with 6 seconds left wide receiver Ashten Glenn tied up the scoreboard.

The game tied up 43-43 and we went into overtime.

Round Rock drove down the field and scored a touchdown which put them in the lead.

The team ran the ball down the field and QB Carson Keller ran the ball down the end zone tying up the scoreboard again to read 57-57.

The bleachers erupted with hoots and hollers from fans while on the field, football players stood anxiously watching with clenched fists, silently praying for a win and not so silently cheering on their teammates. Honor Gaurd and the cheerleaders left their posts and stood at the edge of the field with the football players screaming and cheering.

“I believe! I believe that we will win!” everyone on the Mac side chanted in excitement.

Everyone got up on their feet and shouted, “I believe that we will win! I believe that we will win!”

Students and parents in the bleachers in the front row evened leaned over the railings, almost as if hoping their spirit could help win the game. Double overtime and the scoreboard read 57-57.

If the football team could keep up defense and stop Round Rock’s 2 point conversion they would win the game.

It wasn’t and as the Round Rock Dragons gained their 2 points, cheers from the Round Rock side of the stadium became louder and the big bright orange numbers on the jumbotron read 58-57.

Although the end of the game was exciting and the boys proved just how much heart they had on the field, what was slightly more impressive was how well everyone reacted to the loss.

In movies, everyone’s heads hang low and a hush falls over the crowd, but the real life reaction were the exact opposite: the players walked with their heads held high as they shook hands with the Dragons and the fans were still high-fiving and musing over how great a game it was, then cheering for the Brahmas as they walked back into the tunnel so everyone could start their 2 hour journey home.

As everyone walked off the sidelines and towards their rides, a wave of school pride washed over the bleachers and the fans realizing win or lose, the people that support the game make the game worthwhile.