Football
Written by: Kharis Ott
The varsity football team has had their fair share of struggles. At the start of the season, it seemed as if the universe itself was praying for the team’s downfall. Thunderstorms delayed the first game of the season by hours, and the night went downhill from there. Player after player went down with cramps and injuries, including the team’s starting quarterback Devin Trawick who ended up having an avulsion fracture in his hip. One injured player, Austin Smith, offers his perspective: “It’s not fun waking up at 5:30 to go to a six and five practice… I sit and watch for two hours.” Though he hasn’t been able to play, Smith still enjoys the environment. “It’s fun… helping out,” he says, “we’ve always kept our head in there even when we’re losing.” As Smith said, grit and a refusal to accept defeat happens to be one of the Hornets’ strongest qualities. The next home game, Country Day administrators pushed back the initial scheduling due to rain concerns, but yet again grey clouds hung over the field. Another delay led to more dehydration and another loss for the hornets. Fortunately, victory was on the horizon for our team, but they had to work to get there.
First, the Hornets had to find a new quarterback. The team cycled through players, including Boone Wiesner, SCDS senior who typically plays defensive line, Thomas Holland, and even Miles McLeod, a freshman. Other key players include Hayes Beaver and Payton Bean, high scorers who know how to make plays.
After 3 losses and only one win, the team needed a change, and what better turning point is there than the Homecoming game. Thomas Holland stepped up to the quarterback position, executing expert plays; however, Tatnall County was off to an early lead 14 to none. On the third drive of the game, Hayes Beaver scooped up a fumble and scored a touch down, reinvigorating the team. On another run, Beaver got a pick six, scoring once again for the Hornets. Najee Young threw himself fully into the game, fighting hard at every play, though he was injured in the fourth quarter. In the words of Wiesner, “Thomas had a crazy kind of Patrick Mahomes-like play to me, and we ended up scoring on that.” He’s right. Holland ran the ball in a sort of zig zag, eventually locking onto Wiesner and passing him the ball. From there, Wiesner ran a 57 yard touchdown, solidifying the Hornets’ lead. In the end, the Hornets forced three turnovers and gained over 400 yards on offense. In a final score of 34 to 21, the Hornets reigned triumphant.
From here on out, the season seems bright. Trawick is back as starting quarterback, and the team’s temporary losing streak only appears to have made them stronger. Here’s to an incredible season, and to the varsity team: GO HORNETS!
