10-0 for Two Years in a Row
by Mickey Shuey
Class of 2010
As I look back on the month of June, I remember the disappointment from not being able to go to the Thomas More with the Alter Football team. I remember the hardship in explaining why I couldn’t play football to my friends on the team. But above all, I remember what my reaction was to hearing about the injuries that nearly ended the great careers of Tony Boyle and Joey Graham. I began running all the scenarios through my mind about what would become of this season. I wasn’t sure of how the team would look without two of our biggest players.
Secondly I remember August, and the many things that the Knights were able to do. From the beginning of two-a-days, to the scrimmages with Franklin Heights and Versailles, and ending with the Fairmont game, the month of August was the starting point of the season of 2007. Although we had some injuries in the two-a-days portion of August, we still had to continue to work hard, and adjust to the situation. Our game against Fairmont was the silver lining in what would become a very successful season. There was a feeling of completeness once we ended the romping against Fairmont, 39-14, but every single player knew that nothing would be any easier from then on.
September came and went without any real excitement. The Bellbrook game would be our closest game by the score of 41-20, yes, a very close 21-point win margin. Then came Greenville who we destroyed 42-15, followed by the first GCL game: Roger Bacon. From the first snap of the ball for Alter, nothing was going to be given up. When the Knights triumphantly came off the field with the 45-7 win, they felt accomplished after winning a game that would be thought of as revenge for the defeat of two years ago. Next came the Badin game, which was played at Fairmont’s Roush Stadium. Going into the game, we were expected to win, and that we did. The biggest margin of victory at that point in the season was by a mere 38 points. By the end of the game, the team had a total of two defensive touchdowns and four interceptions. Not many people can say that they have made an interception and ran it in for a touchdown. But in this case Dominic Bayer, a nose guard, solidified his ability to say this by running it in from 54 yards out! The other came from Colin Boucher, brother of Austin the team’s quarterback, who up to the Carroll game hadn’t been picked off once this season. For Tony Boyle, the Badin game was a great way to prove that the near career ending shoulder injury would have no affect on how he played football. “T-boi” picked off two against Badin in the 63-14 win.
The idea of two teams with 5-0 records to end the month of September wasn’t just enticing, but somewhat depressing. As cool as it was that Alter and Carroll each had zero losses, the reality of there only being one winner was unfortunate. But that’s what the Game of the Week was all about. The game was only another stepping stone for these Alter football players, and they wouldn’t try to show off just because it was a closely watched game. As usual, the Knights came out fired up and ready to go. Carroll was presumed to have a strong running game and a hefty defense, but on just the second play from scrimmage, Alter’s junior QB, Boucher launched an 82 yard bomb to Patrick O’ Donnell, taking a quick lead, 7-0. In the end, the Knights pulled away with a convincing 38-14 victory.
October rolled around, as did the last four regular season games. The seventh game was against a Purcell Marian team, which was low on talent, according to reports and their 2-4 record. The Knights were dominant, winning 49-6. In 2006, the Knights were able to record four shutouts by this point in the season, this year thou though, no shutouts were recorded prior to the McNick game. McNick, which just so happened to be the game following Purcell, came into the game 5-3, and was a very formidable opponent stat wise. We were prepared for a good game. What we got was a 50-0 blowout in Alter’s favor on Senior Night.
Week nine was the Fenwick game, and boy, was it an exciting game. To start off the game, Brian Dougherty turned on the engines and took a 31-yard interception in for a touchdown. After a good night for the first team, the number twos were sent in to the game. One second you see the ball being snapped, and no more than four seconds later do you see Craig Courtner celebrating with his teammates. The guy got a 51 yard touchdown, and in a very fast manner. The game was won by the score of 56-7 and the season was nearing an end; 9-0 with just one to go. And then came the CJ game…
Each of us reaches a specific point in our lives when we think that we can’t be stopped, but just when it seems as if this was reality, we get hit on the head by the truth. Whether you are going off to college and plan to party hardy, day in and day out, or you refuse to study because you feel your smarter than the teacher, you just end up getting what you deserve: a taste of the real world. For the Alter Knights, the C-J game was just that. While this game was very important to the team, who was searching to go undefeated in the regular season for the second consecutive year, the Eagles had more on the line; both a share of the GCL North title, and a playoff spot.
Both teams were somewhat low key in pre-game routine, but there is no clear reason why. Maybe it was just because of the rain and cold that had un-relentlessly soaked the ground; maybe not, but it just wasn’t the normal atmosphere that usually surfaces throughout the week. Even though the teams were quiet during warm-ups, the locker rooms were exploding with words of challenge, excitement, but most of all, compassion. As I waited outside of the building, there was very much to hear, none of which will be repeated at this time. But what can I say, the teams were excited, it was Alter vs. CJ.
. No matter where you were; in the stands, in the press box, or on the sidelines, there was no sense of excitement from the team after we let the Eagles take the 14-0 lead only three and a half minutes into the game. But once the offense took over, the atmosphere of the entire Alter side of the venue was jumping up and down, players were getting the students revved up, and the momentum was swinging towards Alter. The Knights scored on a drive later in the first quarter to get on the board. Later on, the team scored yet again, making it a 14-14 game. As Alter began heading toward the locker room, a whistle was blown by the officials, not to signal the finish of the first half, but to add one more second onto the clock, because a timeout was called at some point. Unfortunately, C-J opted to pass rather than finish out the first half on a knee, which turned out to not very appealing to us. Of all things to happen, this “Hail Mary” play was a touchdown. Yes, that’s right, with ONE second left in the half, the birds took a 21-14 lead. That was too much for the Alter football team; revenge would take over the game.
Throughout this whole season, nobody, nobody at all could even score 21 points on us in a game. Not Fairmont, not Bellbrook, not even Carroll could do this. But Chaminade-Julienne was a whole different case. Alter had averaged more than 49 points per game, and held the opponents to just 9 points per game up to Friday night. In spite this stat track, the Eagles vowed to compete with the Alter football squad. And as I have stated, they kept their vow; a lot better than Brittany and K-Fed did.
Anyway, back to the revenge thing. The Knights were seeking vengeance for what had already taken place in the first half, and they exploded, going on a rampage, which includes Austin Boucher’s 70-yard touchdown run in the 3rd quarter, and also Brian Dougherty’s record of four picks for the game, all of which came in the second half. This Alter football team was able to come back and win the game, and finish out the regular season for the second straight year, 10-0. As the Knights look towards Oakwood, they are very aware of what can happen when every second of each game counts, and a spot in the playoffs is on the line. They realize that being number one is just more incentive for someone else to put you to shame.
We escaped a close one, with our tail between our legs. As the door closes on C-J and their playoff dreams, another one opens for Alter, the Region 16 number one seed. Both teams have great talent, but that won’t take them all the way. As we have seen in Alter teams of the past, nobody is safe, and there is no telling when your chances may collapse. Dream big, dream great, and never forget the senior class of 2008.
