ONE LAST RIDE. The Eagles huddle together for the final time, raising their helmets to perform their last “Victory Chant” after they lost the District Championship. Photo by Wyatt Hardy.
One Last Ride: Eagles Football Fall Short In District Championship Against Pacific
The Eagles (8-3) lost their grip on the Class 4 District 2 Championship in a 21-20 loss to Pacific (7-5) on Friday, Nov. 10. Sullivan came close to tying it up at the end of the 4th quarter, but a blocked kick on an extra point sealed the 1-point victory for Pacific.
Sullivan’s sideline fell silent once they realized the kick was no good, while Pacific ecstatically jumped up and down on the other side. The miracle the Eagles thought they were going to walk away with that night had slipped away.
The clock then hit zero and Pacific rushed onto the field, showering their head coach in Gatorade to celebrate the upset they pulled off. The Eagles slowly lined up to shake hands with the Indians, performed a quiet rendition of their “Victory Chant” near the bleachers and all walked silently to huddle up on the left side of the field, with some spending their final moments in an Eagle uniform.
Head coach Eddie Haar and the staff thanked their team for the incredible season they pulled off. They told them how they hoped this one last ride would not determine their outlook on their overall performance this year.
Haar spoke afterwards on the successes of his team this year, saying, “I was happy with the share of the Conference Championship…the opportunity to play in the District Championship again…[and] with the fight our kids showed to battle back into the game and give us a chance to win there at the end.” He continued on, mentioning the loss to Pacific, “[I was] also disappointed with the outcome and seeing the seniors having to go out with such a close loss [in] their last game for the program that way, but extremely blessed to have coached them for 4 years.”
After the coaches spoke in the huddle, senior star running back Franky Erxleben gave his forever last speech to his team, thanking his fellow 2024 graduates for all the great memories and giving advice to the younger players.
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