We Are The Trojans!

Just in from Bo:

Hate to be a pest, (but I am!). Do you know that C.G. won the 5A State Football Championship in Lucas Oil Stadium Sat. night? I don't remember how to post it on the blog. I will forward the Journal email they sent me.

-And this is the Daily Journal piece she forwarded:


Dec. 1, 2008
Greetings:

Sports editor Rick Morwick is a gifted writer.

But even he could barely put into words what he had witnessed Saturday night at Lucas Oil Stadium. The improbable comeback of the Center Grove Trojans took his breath away.

In an e-mail sent to me at 12:21 a.m. Sunday, he wrote: "There are no words to describe what that game was like. I've never covered anything like it since I've been here."

For Morwick and all the other journalists we had at the game, the story lines started coming into focus about 9:30 p.m.: Center Grove loses second title game. Carmel gets another title.

Come on, even some folks wearing red were seen leaving Lucas Oil Stadium before the final tick of the clock.

Our goal was to get stories and photos on our Web site just as soon as humanly possible after the game ended, so Morwick had much of the story written. He headed to the field to get comments from the players and coaches to round out his Center Grove-comes-up-short story.

Well, thank goodness for the delete key; a sports editor who is exceptional, smart and quick; and a bunch of teenage boys who would not give up.

Morwick, in the blink of an eye, rewrote his story, gathered quotes from the players and at 10:59 p.m. hit the send button. The subject line: Center Grove miracle.

Indeed it was.

On the field, Morwick interviewed players who were reduced to pure, raw emotion. These were not just tears he witnessed. These were the shaking, ugly cries that are impossible to control. You know because you have been there before. You can't try to stifle it. You just have to give into it and let every ounce of emotion come out.

As Morwick was talking to players and coaches, photographers Scott Roberson and Joe Saba and videographer Adam Roberts were capturing all that emotion in photos and on video.

Roberts captured the action and anxiousness of the fans during the six-minute turnaround. The shots of Trojan fans covering their eyes and crossing themselves were the perfect touch to illustrate those tense final moments.

By the end of the night, Roberson had taken about 1,000 images, Saba about 800.

While the quantity of photos was high, the quality was even higher. The photos they took were stunning. More importantly, they told a story.

Photographers Roberson and Saba captured key moments in the game. Luke Swift stiff-arming a Carmel player. Mike Wood leaping to catch a pass. Jordan Luallen squirming with every ounce of might in him to get the football in the end zone.

They captured scenes from the locker room, of the fans and, especially, of the emotion. Jordan Luallen and his dad embracing after the game. Derek Long jumping into the arms of assistant coach Patrick Mallory. Trojans jumping for joy.

A couple of readers shared their thoughts about the game. Here they are:
You gotta believe.
Beth Meyers writes: This was a fantastic season for the Trojan football community! I want to thank the team for making me a believer! Hearing the announcement over the public address system early in the fourth quarter reminding the fans there would be a fan appreciation assembly in the high school gym after the game made my heart sink. This had been announced all week as a pep session; now it was a fan appreciation session?

I turned to my friend and dropped my lower jaw; at that moment I realized I had not prepared myself to leave Lucas Oil Stadium with a loss. I prepared myself all week believing we were leaving with the title of IHSAA Class 5A state champions.

Thanks to teamwork, dedication, character, leadership and believing, our Trojans turned the game around in six minutes. Wow. I guess this goes to show those who left that it is never over till it's over. Trojan pride.
'I was screaming my head off.'
North Grove Elementary School student Emily Roark writes: I could not believe that Center Grove got three more touchdowns in the fourth quarter. I felt so excited; my heart was beating fast. I was sad to see Carmel's score ahead. I never gave up on my team. I knew they could do it!

Tonight was the first time I had ever been to Lucas Oil Stadium. I was screaming my head off whenever Center Grove won. This was the best game I have ever seen. I will always remember tonight. I am proud to be a student at Center Grove. Go Trojans.

Thanks Mom and Dad for taking me.