[ArmChairHC]

Coffman was the key. Tbh, we had him double covered and in a lot of catches he made he was locked up. Kids just got some really good and really strong hands. The contested TD catch that was a perfectly thrown ball as well, was next level. One of the best pitch and catches I’ve seen at any level of HS football. The biggest improvement from Sayre this year was they didn’t try to force the deep passing game like they did last year against us. They nickel and dimed us to death and then got us on a few deep passes on double moves. Really the defense completely shut down their run game like I anticipated. The DBs played pretty well as did the LBs. But Coffman was the difference in the game for Sayre.

For the Rams, just too conservative early on. Sayre couldn’t consistently stop the run in the first half and had we come out in the 3rd quarter the way we did in the 4th and spread the ball around, we win that game. But, it’s hard to not stick with what got you there, which was defense and running the ball.

Imo, the thing that won the game for Sayre was the drive to end the first half. Burning the two time outs killed us on that drive. We were out of position on a lot of the completions and that drive won it for Sayre and had no way to slow them down.

We were far less conservative in this game though, than we were in the last championship games we have played in. So there was growth in that regard as well. So I feel a helluva lot better today than I did yesterday. I haven’t seen the final stat line, but I felt like our boys played a really good game. Penalties in really bad situations put us behind the chains and behind schedule on early downs in the 2nd half. We took another step closer to the ultimate goal, now we just have to learn from another title loss and move forward.

This group far exceeded my expectations and the key pieces all return next year, minus Sammons and Burroughs. But there are guys waiting in the wings to fill those voids. Guys that really bought into the scout team aspect of practice, kids that don’t have things show up on the stat sheets, but kids that really cared about what was asked of them. This team learned how to play more team football than any group I’ve seen in the last several years. Thank you to the seniors who laid it all out to lead a very young group of kids.

Hayden Hunt, what a kid. Sacrificed his self, for the betterment of the team. A senior that’s worked his butt off. But it didn’t relate into him being on the field much, but make no mistake, he was the catalyst of the teams success off the field and in the locker room. Same can be said for Sammons who lead by just being a freak in the weight room and off the edge.

This Sophomore class is full of names I could go on and on about, they are going to be a very special group to watch.

Finally…the Lewis County kids. Yes…the Vanceburg Transfers…One will return next year, Isaac Horsely. Great kid that I think will have a HUGE offseason and be a really big key to our success upfront next year.

Ayden Cooper…I have a lot of respect for you kid. With a starting QB spot open for grabs, you came in with that goal. It didn’t pan out. But you did anything and everything else you could to help the team and you seemed like you had always been a Ram. It was a pleasure to watch you in your senior season as a part of the orange and black.

Jaxon Rister…same can be said for you. With a WR spot wide open for the taking, you suffered an injury set back in preseason. But busted your butt to get back. One of the best contested WRs Raceland has had in awhile. Thank you for your hard work this year.

Everyone on here knows how much I love the Rams and how much it means to me that my kids are apart of the tradition. I’m not going to even acknowledge any of the crap that’s went on in this thread because it takes away from what BOTH of these teams accomplished throughout the season and through out yesterdays games. Win or lose, a lot of kids played their last snap of football yesterday, many more will do the same today. It’s heartbreaking to see the seniors be so upset after their last 00:00 comes across the scoreboard. But the journey that lead them to that point will make them better men moving forward. This is why I love HS football.