Spots and inches

With a little over two minutes left in the Sept. 22 SLUH-Vianney freshmen game, the Golden Griffins took possession on their own 35-yard line, down 20-14 with one final chance to mount a comeback.

It had been a tight game. SLUH scored early in the 4th quarter but narrowly missed the extra point, and the feeling lingered that it could come back to haunt the Baby Bills.

The extra-point attempt was inches from going through the uprights. And Vianney had missed a touchdown earlier in the game when a ball slipped through a receiver’s hands – off by a matter of inches – into the waiting arms of SLUH freshman Danny Tarlas (below), who was in the right spot at the right time.

Inches and spots. That’s football, and that’s what these freshmen are learning.

And so with about 30 seconds on the clock, on fourth down with about 6 yards to go, the Vianney running back barreled into a posse of SLUH defenders with little chance for yardage. But somehow he kept going – for about 6 yards – and was finally stopped.

First down?

Sometimes, it’s all about the spot.

“I think he got it,” Tom said. He would know. As a teacher at SLUH, he has spent 27 years on the “Chain Gang” at varsity home games, holding the down marker or either end of the chain, running on the field when the referee calls for it.

SLUH needed the win desperately. Since manhandling MICDS in the opening game of the season, the Jr. Bills had lost to Webster Groves and CBC twice. But maybe Vianney needed, it too. A midseason road victory against a conference opponent for the freshmen would go a long way to building a program.

Before the game’s final minute, I had been alternating between catching up with old friends, Linda and Curtis Wilson, whose son Ben was number 87 for Vianney; and watching “My 15” in his new role on first team kickoff offense.

Ben, a classmate of Jack’s for nine years at St. Justin Martyr Catholic School, was doing great, Linda said. Vianney was a great fit for him and he was making the transition well.

Sometimes, it is about the spot.

“Jack loves SLUH, too,” I said, watching him get knocked down pretty hard by a Vianney blocker who knew exactly at what particular point to hit him. A spot-on hit.

Jack would later recount for us that particular play (left) in which the Vianney player knocked him on his butt. He also recounted getting in a few hits of his own. But if he was sore after the game, he didn’t let on.

A win will do that for you.

Turns out, on that last Vianney possession, SLUH got the favorable spot, killing any chance of a late game rally.

The chain gang came running on the field while everyone held their breath, and when the referee indicated that ball was short and signaled SLUH first down (right), the team erupted in cheers.

Spots and inches. Sometimes they are in your favor. Sometimes not.

Like these pics? View more freshmen football pictures from photographer Nancy Winkelmann at nancywinkelmann.zenfolio.com/freshmanpix.