Op-Ed: Shorewood's football finale - a "meaningless" win? Not if you were there

By Frank Workman

Shorewood’s football finale Friday night may not have seemed to matter much in the Grand Scheme of Things, but their 36-30 overtime win over an evenly-matched and equally-gritty Squalicum team served as yet another reminder of the pure and entertaining nature of High School sports.

On a weekend that saw the sport’s best teams playing ‘meaningful’ playoff games, don’t believe for one second that this game held no meaning to the two teams involved.

It had to have meant something to the Storm’s sophomore tailback Luke Weber, who carried the ball for over 200 yards in his 40 + carries. Weber was so gassed from his efforts that he wasn’t able to answer the bell at the start of the overtime period. His absence, coupled with SW’s inspired defense, contributed to the T-Birds’ goal line stand.

The game had to have meant a lot to Squalicum’s massive senor receiver Lucas Potes. This 6’ 3”, 210-pound senior trudged off the field as slowly as a human being possibly can walk, crying all the way. When he collapsed, sobbing, into his father’s arms, it was impossible to tell if he had lost a ‘meaningless’ football game or the state championship.

It was obvious that winning the game meant a lot to Eugene Holley, SW’s mainstay running back. His winning TD set off a grand celebration for his teammates, the likes of which have been few and far between for the T-Birds of late. The post-game hug he shared with a coach lasted so long, it could have been timed with a calendar instead of a stopwatch. One can only imagine how many moms, dads, grandmas, and grandpas in attendance were warmed on the frosty night with similar hugs, and left with a memory that will last them a lifetime.

Time will only tell if the outcome of this game will hold any lasting meaning for Head Coach Rob Petschl, the outstanding coaching staff he has assembled, and the T-Bird football program.

You would think ending the season on a high note like this would give encouragement to the returning players to spend more off-season time in the weight room, and would inspire those boys who haven’t participated in the past to turn out for the team next year.

If so, then there would seem to have been a lot of significance to Friday’s ‘meaningless’ win.