An incredible game: Templier vs Cougars, part deux

4-3. That's our record. Four wins, three losses. We can't lose if we want to make the playoffs. Things are different now. It's like we ARE in the playoffs. In that can lose mentality. 3 games left. We win them all, we knock out the Templiers and the Spartiates.

All week we are ready. Everyone shows up to practice...I mean everyone and that's huge for us. We get some good quality work in having all the guys there. We are prepared. The stage is set, the gladiators are ready, and it would prove to be one of the most amazing shows I've been apart of.

We traveled to the Templiers home field. The last time I was there it was frozen solid and looked like a pond at winter in Michigan. The turf was horrible. Think astrodome astro turf of a lesser quality. How were we going to be able to run and dive on this. The spots where the turf was laid next to each other, about every 15 yards or so, was covered in a paint mixture to try and seal it up. This was like throwing sandpaper on the ground and telling us to slide on it. Also, I didn't have shoes. I mean I had my cleats with screw ins and my tennis shoes, but no turf shoes. Crap. What am I going to play in? The cleats are too tall and I want be able to cut, but my tennis shoes are the Asics that are almost the same material as water shoes little kids wear in public water parks. This is going to be good.

I tighten the shoe strings on my sneakers. The shoes that have taken my all across the streets of Paris, Barcelona, Dublin, Dortmund, Athens and up mountains in Meteora, will now let me hit Templier players. Toe meets leather and the game is on. We kick off and the Templiers get the ball. It's the back and forth. Drive the ball, stall, punt. This goes on back and forth until the close of the First Quarter. The Templier, led by Perez Matison, hit a huge 31 yard pass for a touchdown. Concluding a 90+ yard drive. 7-0.

The Templier offense is similar to Texas Tech spread, quick short passing routes with excellent precision and timing. It's clock work and they look like they've spent a lot of time working pass routes. Our defensive strategy for the game was to only rush 3 lineman and let the 8 remaining guys cover. With double teams across the line, it was hard to get any pressure on the quarterback. Even when we finally did he would just scramble up in the pocket and out to the side. This bought his recievers some of the extra time needed to find the holes in the zone.

The second quarter is a little bit more active. Pakat steals an interception on the sideline. Unfortunately we could not convert. The defensive tackle, an american from UMass and former tight end, had an a pretty good game. He was a good athlete and our guards had some trouble at times against him. They walked the middle linebacker directly over me, so I had to block him most plays and isolated the American guy on our guards. This freed him up on one on one situations and allowed him to make plays.

The Templiers scored again making it 14-0 on a 77 yard drive. And by drive I mean a 77 yard pass that took about 10 seconds for the QB to scramble and throw. I also have to mention that their offensive line coach had suited up for the game. He came in around the 2nd quarter mark. I guess he felt his guys weren't doing a good job. It was hilarious though as I was on the line, his lineman would ask him, "coach what do we do", "should we double team" and the coach would tell him yes or no. It was fun getting to play against him. Sometimes they'd hold me and I'd get their team so upset since they just completed a big gain. Now it was 14-0, we get the ball back and need to score now to cut the lead in half, so when we recieve the ball in the 3rd quarter, we can tie the game up.

We need to rally, to get life back in the Cougars. We can't let the guys shut down. Then you realize... we are Cougars. This team doesn't quit, regardless of what events have just taken place. We drive trying to beat the clock into the endzone. And do just what we needed to Dino scores on a 6 yard run and we've cut the lead. Unfortunately the extra point get's blocked. 14-6. Halftime.

We started what we needed to. Getting the train on the tracks and headed in the right direction. Now we needed to believe that we would win this game. We decide to stay on the field and rest instead of heading to the locker rooms. Partially because the visitors lockerrooms are right below the Templiers and we needed to come together without distractions. We recieve the ball in the start of the 2nd half and muster a brilliant 87 yard drive. Matt scores on a 1 yard QB sneak. 14-12. We still need a 2 point conversion to be tied and even the playing field. We run a pass play that fails, but thankfully their is a penalty. Next play from the 1.5 yard line. We throw a fade to Michel and tie the game. Were back baby. The Templiers, who had purred at us (yes I mean pur, like a little kitty sound.... to which I kindly reminded them that they lost the last time they played us!) before the game started as we ran onto the field, weren't purring anymore.

The following drive the Templier went 3 and out and the Cougars take the field. This is the pivotal starting point where some of our recievers really step up. Jean Michel catches a 62 yard pass and scurries into the endzone. 21-0. The game now would start to take shape of a tennis match more so then a football game. An epic back and forth battle that Agassi and Sampras would be jaw dropped at. We kick off the ball and the Templiers return it to our 30 yard line.

The Templiers score 3 plays later with a 10 yard pass. 21-20. On the extra point I move Ludo next to me and Nyda across. We drive the guard back and I am sure we blocked the extra point. But no, they faked the kick and threw the ball to the wide open up back. 22-21. Ah. My emotions are starting to spin. The roller coaster ride of emotions from this game has just begun. We have been down 14-0, fought back, tied the game, took the lead, and now we have lost the lead. Time to get back to work.

4th Quarter. It takes me back to high school. To the extra work we put in sweating our buts off in a locked down, taped up gym. The windows were fogged from the amount of sweat and heat we put off during the strenuous conditioning drills. Pushing ourselves to the limits, so that when the 4th quarter comes, you are not as tired as the man in front of you. You can push forward, while he tries to hold on. Then I'm at Tech. We hold our hands high in the 4th Quarter because this is where you finish the drill and get the job done. It doesn't matter how you start, it matter's how you finish. I've been through Spring ball, summer agilities, 5am team drills, Camp, 2 a days....they all add up for these moments. The forth quarter. Let's go Cougars.

The crowd is pumping, it's intense. If we were in America, 55,000 fans would be on their feet. Yelling and screaming, losing their beers and their voice. We drive. Thomas makes a huge conversion on 3rd down and gains 61 yards. Another one of the recievers that has stepped up in this game. Our drive stalls out in redzone and we settle with a huge kick by Michel Donati for 33 yards. 24-22. Our sideline is going nuts. We've taken the lead! Yes I say to myself. We've got this. I'm riding high.

The defense takes the field. With cougar pride they stop the Templiers and bring them to a 4th and 1 situation. Of course they are going for it. We crank it up and the defense stops the conversion. Cougars ball. We then drive the ball to the 11 yard line. Now faced with our own 4th down situation we turn the ball over. The Templiers seizing the moment drive the ball 89 yards and score on a 33 yard pass to a reciever finding the open hole. The life drains out of me. I'm exahusted. I can not take this. But we still have time. The clock ticks. the score 28-24. They try the extra point. This time we do push the guard back into the kick and block the extra point. The brief ounce of hope will be all I need to push on.

We return the ball and it's 1st and 10 on the 34 with just under 2 minutes left. Then the roller coaster takes a huge turn from the previous drop and pulls us back to another mountain top. Matt hits Jean Michel for a 66 yard touchdown pass. His second in the game. We go nuts. The celebration is spectacular. We are losing our minds. YES! YES! We are up 31 to 28 after the extra point. AMAZING!

The Templier will have to run a two minute offense to try and touch us. I feel confident. Perez felt more confident. He drives the Templier 78 yards down the field. With the help of 30 yards in penalties from the Cougars. One of which being a late hit by myself on the QB. I had spun in and saw him letting it fly. All I could think of was what a bull see's when the matador flashes the red flag in front of him. I didn't stop. AHHHhhhhhhhhh! What did I just do? Composure Matt. Stay composed. I think of the personal fouls I've had at Tech and Coach Gailey pulling me out on one particular occasion, one that cost Choice a 100yard rushing game.

They end up scoring with 20 seconds left. 35-31. We have no time left. This knockout punch would prove to be the straw....or more like a Mike Tyson right hook.... that broke the camels back. The air was knocked out of me. I lied on the field for an extra 30 seconds to the sounds of the home fans celebrating the Templier touchdown. It would be the final score with the failed hail mary's.

I watched my team fight for everything they had. They laid it on the line. Nyda shed a tear or a few after the game. I knew how much this means to all of us. To fight and lose. In an epic game, and epic battle. Someone has to be the loser. That's sports, that's competition. We all felt the same. DRAINED. Giving all you have and having it come up just a little bit short. It's heartbreaking. No playoff shot. It was finished. Our season would only have 2 games left. Thomas, Jean Michel and Florian have stepped up. They have made huge strides during this season. Their hard work, consistent attendance at practice and work ethic have helped take them so far this season. I look at them and our proud. They all had huge plays this game and stepped up big. Matt ended up breaking the record for passing yards in a game for the Cougars record books. 384yards passing. But records mean nothing unless they are in the win coloumn.

Our team had suffered some serious injuries. On one drive Nico had an amazing catch. Somehow managed to keep his feet and run forward without balance. At the precise time 3 Templiers hit him. Hurting his back and causing it to be his last play for the Cougars, more then likely forever. He laid it on the line. Fabian hurt his shoulder making tackles and is done for the season. Ben Simon hurt his MCL during the game. These guys laid it all out for each other, for me, for the team. "TEAM FIRST" I am impressed and proud to be a Cougar. Fighters.

After the game we had a planned party/ BBQ at Fabians. The entire team showed up and it was a lot of fun. I will just show you pictures which speak the loudest. I'll post them after this. We are a team. A group of friends, who lay it out for one another. A unit. Gung-ho baby. GUNG- HO....... Who are you? Cougars!!!