Post Messenger Recorder -

Friday, October 26. The NGM football team and its legion of loyal fans followed the flyways north to marsh country, taking on Horicon-Hustisford in a Level 2 WIAA playoff game. What a difference a week makes, transitioning from the thrill of victory at Prairie du Chien to the heart-stabbing agony of defeat this evening. The game started almost as a mirror image of last week's game at PDC, replete with NGM winning the coin toss, the home team being quick to score, and even a missed extra point to follow. It felt like similar territory. The similarity ended there as H-H scored again, making the score 14-0, and never looked back.

In the second quarter senior Trevor Gassman made yet another one of his spectacular touchdown catches in heavy traffic, pulling NGM closer at 14-7. That would conclude the Knight's scoring for the evening as the offense sputtered and H-H rolled onward and upward. Given that the second half ended in a most confusing fashion, the following is offered as an explanation for the turn of events that transpired: With only 16 seconds left to play in the half H-H was charging, having to get to the NGM 25-yard line for a first down. On fourth down it appeared they came up just short as the NGM defense came up with a monster stop - or so it seemed. The ball appeared just short of the 25 when it came to rest, yet magically was on the line when replaced at the hash mark, thus awarding the Marshmen a key first down. A polite request by NGM for a measurement was declined. Moments later the home team was on the 1-yard line with, as if by magic, one second on the clock left to play. The explanation as to the starting and stopping of the clock was fraught with equivocation, or at best uncertainty. H-H took full advantage of the gift with a last second pass into the end zone on a very well-crafted play to give them a 27-7 halftime lead. (It's generally considered "sour grapes" to question the adjudication of the striped ones, so please allow me to say that their actions had no influence on the final score. I'll simply suggest that there may have been more missed and dropped calls on the evening then there were on my aging cell phone).

The mood in the NGM locker room at halftime was one of quiet concern, not despair. There was still hope that this talented bunch could work a little magic of their own. But, as the second half played out, the Marshmen proved they were anything but marshmallows as they ran off another 20 unanswered points to claim a well-earned 48-7 victory. The NGM highlight of the second half came on sophomore Cooper Dreyfus' tackle of a hurdling ball carrier, producing some aerial acrobatics high in entertainment value. (Per WIAA guidelines, which prohibit hurdling, the runner was penalized 15 yards for his "performance").

The stats from a game like this are rarely pretty, but rather are representative of the overall defensive effort of the Horicon-Hustiford team. The NGM quarterbacks attempted 35 passes, completing 16 for 146 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. The running game was held to a season low 43 yards. H-H senior running back C.J. Brooks ran for 95 yards and was a dominant force the entire contest.

The finality of a last game is usually overwhelming, especially for seniors. The tears of emotion felt last week by the PDC team would now become our own, and follow the NGM team to the locker room and persist on the long, quiet bus ride home - each player being in his own very personal state of reflection.

Yes, NGM lost a football game but they have won so much more. Consider this: Is there any better compliment to a young person's education than participation in sports? Where else can a teenager learn the value of being part of something bigger than themselves? Where else can they experience such a wide range of emotions in a controlled and supportive environment? Where else can they form a bond with others, forged in a common struggle that can last a lifetime? Where else can such a young person extend a helping hand to a struggling teammate and then feel the warmth when same is returned to them? The life lessons learned by this team and these players are simply priceless. But there is a label for it...we call it NGM PRIDE!

Thank you seniors! The NGM program is in good shape and in good hands. The cupboard is well-stocked. See you next year.

(Disclaimer: The aforementioned is in no way intended to disparage or diminish any other non-sport extracurricular activities which also offer meaningful opportunities and experiences. Given this is a sports column, the focus is simply more sport-centered in its orientation. Dr. Bryan Wierwill.)