by Greg McCorkle

For the third straight week a local high school has dropped their homecoming game. The difference being, the other two teams were simply blown out. However, this game got exciting in the fourth quarter and for a brief moment it felt like an amazing come back for a win was in progress.

The Seahawk defense gathered themselves in the second half being down by 36 points. The squad reached beep inside themselves and allowed only one second half touchdown. As it turned out that was what was needed to give the offence a chance, although at the time it did seem like an effort lost in humiliation.

Trailing 43-0 with a little over nine minutes left in the game, all of a sudden a completely different Sealth football team appeared on the field. As though Dr. Jekyll found his elixir and a big burly Mr. Hyde came smashing onto the field.

With nine minutes and forty seconds left… Mr. Hyde, disguised as the Seahawk offence, began sweeping the Nathan Hale defenders aside.

Sealth quarterback Maxwell Sarver started completing passes. When pressured, as he had been all night long, he found lanes to run in for yardage that kept drives alive.

Runningback Vinny Wilson, who had been bottled up for the previous three quarters, busted out leaving defenders in his wake and scored the first Seahawk touchdown with 6:10 left in the game. The defense got the ball back. At the 4:20 mark a 48 yard run for a score and a two point conversion closed the gap to 43-15. At this point one would think the game is over. All Nathan Hale has to do is get a couple of first downs and run out the clock. But. On their first play from scrimmage the Raiders turn the ball over at mid field.
Enter Mr. Hyde.

Maxwell Sarver and company battle and bruise their way into the endzone, and again get the two point conversion. It’s now 43-23 Raiders with 51 seconds to play. Now it’s over you’d say. Great job guys. You made it respectable.

But…
On the ensuing kickoff the Raiders muff the catch and give the ball back to Sealth on the 28 yard line with 47 seconds.

Back in business?

Now you begin thinking… is this possible? Could this be one of the great comebacks in Sealth history?
The first play looked like a completed pass in the endzone. But the officials ruled the play out of bounds.
The clock kept running…

Second pass fell incomplete.

Tick, tick, tick.

The third pass was just out of reach. Sailing over the out stretched hands of tightend Aiden Behar for what would have been a touchdown.

Time for one last play…

But, before the ball could be snapped time expired. Game over. Final score Sealth 23, Nathan Hale 43.
Sure it’s a loss at homecoming. Nobody likes loosing that game. Nobody. Except for nine shining minutes at the end of the game, those men on the field clad in Baby Blue were heroes. They reminded us of the possibilities that lie in sports. Games are won and lost in great moments, and we almost witnessed one of those moments.

Enjoy your homecoming dance you earned it.

Sealth’s next opponent is the west side matchup with West Seattle on October 12th at the SWAC