It was my J.V year and the  “biggest game of the season” against Fenton was upon us.   Both teams had been undefeated for three years  and this was the first time the two schools had met.   This only happened because Pontiac, who was on our normal schedule,  did not have a JV team.   Our coach wanted to fill the spot with a good competitive team.   As the week began to come to an end and Thursday came closer I became very nervous.

The day before the game  players from Fenton started tweeting about us.  They said  we were not that good and we were  an “overrated football team” and “red rover red rover send clarkston on over.”  We never let them get under our skin, instead we used it to our advantage.  Waking up that day I knew I wasn't feeling that good so I quickly told my mom to get me medicine and make me something to eat that won't upset my stomach. That day went by slower than ever and that wasn't good because the longer I just sat there the worst I felt.  I began to get very nervous and was wondering how I was going to perform.    Everything that you wouldn't want to happen before a game happend to me that day, but none of this could stop me from being the best I could be.

My starting position is offensive guard and we were the first to have the ball.   The first drive of the game  we marched down the field and scored.  That drive  was very easy  which was surprising and a big relief for all of us.   The first play of that drive went exactly the way as we planned.  We gave the ball to Nolan Eriksen and let him use his lightning speed to get around the outside and take off,  he went from our 20 yard line to their 30.  The second play was a quick screen pass to Jacob Fisher which brought us to the 5 yard line. Then it took us two more run plays to score and go up an early 7-0 lead.  That drive set the tone for the rest of the game, our offense kept on rolling and our defense did their job besides one play when they broke away and  ran a 45 yard touchdown.

For me, the best part of the game happened in the first half when the score was 14-7 Clarkston.   In addition to starting on offensive, I also was part of a starting package on defense.    Before this play I was on the sideline and at the last second my coach screamed out, “lets see it twin towers.” The best part about this was  that when he said twin towers he was referring to me and my friend David who are both not the tallest or skinniest people.  On the first snap of that series the Fenton quarterback dropped back to pass and I busted through the line, but I immediately  realized the offensive line wasnt engaging so with my “football knowledge” I stopped and waited.   The quarterback threw a screen pass in my direction that ended up being a floated ball that was supposed to end up in the running backs hands but it ended up in mine.  I immediately started running as fast as my little legs could go and the end zone became closer and closer and there was one thing that could stop me;  the Fenton quarterback.  When I was less than 3 yards away from the goal line I looked  into his face and it reminded me of deer in headlights, I lowered my shoulder and ran right over him and into the endzone.
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The only time I've come close to being this proud of myself was when I was in 4th grade playing under the lights against the other J.v. chiefs team.  I was pretty sick that day too but that didn't stop me from being the best i could be that day either. That game I made 22 tackles which was unheard of at this young level. However, that game 7 years ago couldn't compare to how I felt going forward with my life after the game against Fenton.

When the game was completed the whole team celebrated the win!  I was walking off the field towards the bus and I looked to my left and there stood my parents.  My dad looked at me and said, “Wow what a game, I have never been so proud of you.”.   I had a tear running out of my eye. I responded,  “thanks so much dad”.    He said “It reminds me of the Clarkson Chief days.”  I then realized that was where it all began.

  The beginning of that day I thought that there's no way I'm going to play today and if I did, I wouldn't be at 100%.   I played one of the best games of my life and after the game I realized that you're going to face adversity sometimes, like being sick, and its whether or not you face the adversity head on  or you shy away.