Here are a few FACTS from the night:
7A Bryant vs 6A Benton
24,816 people in attendance.
14,000 pounds of peanut butter donated to the AR Rice Depot, and due to a match by Skippy, turned into almost 30,000 pounds. (Stop and let that sink in for a moment)
$_________ raised for Saline County Relay for Life. (Not sure of the total yet....but hey, bless it.)
I think I also heard something about a "Beanie Weenie" contest, also. Don't know specifics....but I saw the trophy. Yes, Beanie Weenies. We are in the heart of the south.
14-14 tie. No OT. No Sudden Death. A tie. The end.
Here are a few FEELINGS from tonight:
Caviat: I'm an just a football/dance mom with kids on the field. Not a coach, expert, or historian on the matter. It has been close to a 24 hour day for us as we hit the pillow at 2 am (48 for me since I haven't slept the day before) and quite frankly I am now classifed as "Zombie Mom"...
A tie.
As I sat in the lobby if IHOP tonight. surrounded by stranger fans, my kiddos and friends, I found myself muttering aloud...."I'm just not sure how to feel." Sooooo many agreed with me. That had been the jist of the conversation from the long drive home from War Memorial (long due to all 25,000 people heading BACK to Saline county at the same time). And continued over our late night meal.
I have seen so much today. In my exhaustion, I want to record the events, before they become the least bit blurry. Maybe by the end of the post, I can figure out how I feel....sigh. Got Syd up and out the door by 430 am for the Channel 7 Daybreak Pep Rally. I'll admit as I stood out on the track that early, I was wishing for them to be like Letterman and pretape it at a decent hour so that I could still be cozy in my bed. But then reality kicked in as I realized I hadn't been to sleep anyway. I blogged, did laundry, spent about an hour in the bathroom in a bundle of nerves and here we were. The day was here.
Taping went fine and it was a fun time. I was able to get some pics of Syd with the "fancy camera" which will be my project tomorrow....editing those. I only got a couple of shots with my phone. So until then, I'll share:
Syd with Allyson Courtney of KATV Channel 7 Daybreak! :)
Next, about 10 of us moms entered the locker room for our first Panther Moms Prayer Ministry. We are planning to meet each game day for a few moments of prayer. Hands down....my most wonderful moment of the day. No doubt, as we circled in the center of that room....where our sons would have spent countless days in preparation....where they prepare for each practice and each game. Asking God to make His presence known. And He did. We lifted each player, manager, coach, and trainer by name....Asking God for provision and protection.
I then found my Sam's locker....and knelt in prayer for this child that God has entrusted ME with. For I know that my responsiblity as a Mother is ultimately to trust His plan for Sam. Surronded my other moms and friends....who, like me....had the nervous jitters....I found comfort in those moments. I was able to walk around the room, and touch the helmets and pads of several players -- ask for blessings upon these boys who my son loves as teammates and friends. As the room emptied, and just a couple of us left....I looked in the eyes of Ang, and for a brief moment, we found a little peace.
No doubt the walls of that very room would see a lot in just a few short hours....but God was there friends. He was there. I am so excited and honored to gather with these women as the season moves forward and pray for our boys. What an honor to be among them.
Our prayer list. We prayed for each and every one by name.
The day unfolded with another pep rally at the school for the students. BHS Pep Rallys are the best. You can't hear yourself think...and these kids are completely engulfed in school spirit and panther pride. I am SOOOO thankful for administrators who know the importance of this. Who "let them be kids" and all the silliness that entails. Just a lot of fun.
As my babygirl lined up in her first capacity as a Pepstepper.....to make a victory line in which the Senior players would run through to be recognized, you can imagine my emotion. I am taking snapshots in my mind of EVERY moment. We are kicking off a year I'll never forget.
Seniors won the Spirit Stick. Yay. Sophomores were a tad confused. Today they "learned the drill" and no doubt will be ready next time.
I watched the majority of the whole thing through the lens of my "fancy camera." With a lens you can literally see nosehairs in centerfield. Anyway, I scanned the players, taking pics. I knew right then, they were ready. As Brandon and Stone and Coach Neathery took the mic.....I knew they were ready. Not at all in a cocky sort of way....but in a peaceful, PREPARED sort of way. For this group....there are no heros. Only a team. When I say this group is special KNOW....this group is special.
We then went to throw up a little spirit decor to suprise the kiddos for their lunches. Every school needs a Karen Hilborn. She recognizes that these are still kids and still get excited about balloons. :) Only took a few minutes to slap a little "panther pride" around the room.
Ang and I ran a few errands and then I had a couple of hours for a little nap. Woke to head to the stadium for yet ANOTHER pep rally for the Channel 7 news. Long exciting day for my Sydney and the Pepsteppers. Please, everyone....know how HARD that dance, band and cheer work for this event. Can you imagine football games without them???? This is my first year as a Pepstepper Mom....and my eyes are opened to all the blood, sweat and tears goes into this from these groups also. Give them some props!
As we made our way to our seats, and the panthers took the field. I could literally HEAR my heart beating out of my chest. As they warmed up, and I was snapping pics....and sweating my hiney off, I was so happy. My brother and neice, Hannah came to watch the kids. So enjoyed our visit and meant the world to me that they were there.
I just love love love my sweet Hannah.
I love that I can sit among those I love....I can be Terri. Granted....it was growling, crazy, "momma dog," Terri....but I love these people I get to do life with. They understand the emotion of the night that simply comes from the love of my kids. The desire for them to do their best. From potty mouth to prayer....we are family.
Just a couple of shots...no judgement as I was a HOT Mess!
As the Seniors lined up as captains for the night....arm and arm. We all joined hands and prayed. That was the first of several times we led prayer as a group this night.
We played a good first half....and went in to the locker room...you guessed it...in a tie. I got to watch my babygirl dance. This dance was extra special for me. Coach White informed me and Syd at the beginning of the week that it was going to be dedicated to our little family, honoring what all we had been through the last couple of years. As they took the field and kicked their hearts out....I was incredibly touched. What a sweet, precious honor and memory that neither of us will ever forget. I am sooooo proud of them.
I'm not proud of the inability to control my emotions when so much is on the line for the children I love most in the world. I screamed and carried on like a crazy woman. Quite convinced I was on the verge of a stroke and Nurse Deb and trainer Mike would be carting ME off on a stretcher. I'm a tad ticked that I didn't control my mouth when 7 undeserved points went on the scoreboard for a call that the taped replay PROVED was wrong. That I screamed at the top of my lungs...."Catch the Damn Ball, son!" when one slipped past him. (IN FRONT of my Pastor Brother....and my niece who pointed out that I said an ugly word. haha)
I did a lot of "sideline coaching" and even MORE "sideline referee'ing" than I'd care to admit. We were on our feet using rally towels and pom poms as lethal weapons....screaming to the point I have NO voice left. Every play that went our way was met with high fives, and hugs and even tears. It hit me....as the clocked ticked down the final moments of the game, that God had answered my every prayer. I'm learning as I write....that I know exactly how to feel.
For you see? I watched two teams play tonight. One was bigger in size and bigger in numbers. MUCH bigger. I know many of them and their families. They are just like us. They are good people with great hearts and love for the game and their school.
The other? is a team that has been in a program that has been in a rebuilding phase for quite some time. On paper...there is no one that really picked them to win. I watched as one was blessed with plenty of "first string type players" and could rotate them in and out to keep them fresh. They fought hard. Played well. Bryant no doubt has a good team. They, too are kids. Kids who are under the OTHER side of the pressure of the "streak." No one wants to be that team that loses after 8 years of beating their largest rival, which HAPPENS to be the biggest in the state.
The other team...MY team....I watched play hard. I watched starters play every play of every minute of the whole game. Sitting so closely, I watched the pain on their faces and the heat was getting to them....and leg cramps were excruitiating. I watched the managers and trainers worrying and fretting to keep them able to fight. I watched our newest Senior....and quite frankly, our "Ace" from the game....fight through OBVIOUS pain....and keep on pushing. I watched our Junior QB give it his BEST when they were completely all over him. I watched these boys have more passion and heart than I've EVER seen on a football field. Our Seniors LED...the team AND the fans. When they needed to hear us? They let us know. I couldn't be a prouder mom than I am today.
As they came across the front of the stands to touch our hands....they looked like they had been at war. What a game they played.
A tie. Initially, it felt like a game that never ended. Like walking around with your pants unzipped. Or painting your nails and skipping a couple of fingers. SOOOOO much hype. Social media blowing up all week....and no ending. Like waking up during a dream and not knowing how it ended. Like watching a movie and the power going out in the middle. Like the last chapter of a book being ripped out.
Now....God said, "Everyone wins." The streak ended. And nobody lost. Benton was picked to lose by 20ish points or so. We proved those predictions wrong. We shut 'em up. We proved something tonight.
I do have that part of me that is SOOOOOOO mad about that dang touchdown that really wasn't. About how once again he calling seemed to be skewed the other way. How that call REALLY was a game changer. And I think about how much a 14-7 ending score would have looked and felt like. But that's football. We are at the mercy of ALL of the factors involved. And so are they.
God protected a lot of hearts tonight. That is the peace I'm finding in "the tie." I really am ok with that. Benton has a lot to be proud of and I couldn't be MORE excited about this season.
Honestly, I'm glad for some normality again. And we can all be friends again. Football Season is here. Salt Bowl is but a memory. And what an incredible memory it was. Great job, Panthers.
Thank you God, for your provision and your perfect Plan.
In Him,
Terri
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