From the notebook………*Only the all-star game remains to put a wrap on the 2009 football season. And what a fun season it was. Big “Shout Out” to both Brookhaven and Trinity for earning state titles last Friday. I can’t remember ever wishing the season wouldn’t end so I could begin feeding my basketball addiction but this was an exceptional year for football. I’m already projecting what teams could make a run in 2010 and looking forward to August.
*I’ve send out emails to a group of coaches and folks who are knowledgeable about AA football asking for input on the 2009 player of the year. The response has been great. Three areas will be used in selecting the player; 1) Input from the email solicitations, 2) The Southern Sports & Travel online poll, and 3) Input from readers. If anyone would like to submit their choice and input please email me at aafandaman@yahoo.com or leave a comment below. Comments will be moderated to avoid any negative remarks being made towards a player. The selection will be released next week.
*I was reminded today that Lamar wide-out Bo Bidgood came up two touchdowns short of breaking the state single season touchdown receiving record which was set two seasons ago by Austin Byrd of Leake Academy. Bidgood finished the season with 22 receiving touchdowns, two shy of the record 24 caught by Byrd.
*Brookhaven finished a remarkable season that will stand out for many years to come. While the title game didn’t pan out to be the close battle many had hoped for the second round game against Centreville will go down as one of the very best. Brookhaven’s 57-56 double overtime win over the defending champs demonstrates how a whole season can come down to a few critical plays that don’t necessarily come in the title game. These three stick out…….With Brookhaven down 35-33 Tyler Trout nails a 44 yard field goal with 5:32 left in the 4th quarter, Chandler Rogers hits Tripp Jolly with a perfectly thrown pass on a fade route for the game tying touchdown with 22 seconds left in the 4th quarter, and in my opinion the biggest play of the Cougar’s season, the Brookhaven defense stopping Zach Sinclair one yard short on a game winning two point attempt.
*The resolve and discipline required to win a state championship is truly amazing. Brookhaven and Trinity took part in Jamboree’s back in August and then played fifteen consecutive weeks en-route to winning a title. The sacrifice and physical demand the players endure is to be applauded.
*Finally, Southern Sports & Travel needs aspiring writers or sports hounds to submit short articles during basketball season. High school students, parents or supporters are needed to expand coverage particularly in the north region. Southern Sports & Travel went over the 50,000 visitor mark this past weekend and I’m always working on how to improve the site.
See ya somewhere……………….
**Comments
From Anonymous.....
A biased comment on the Year End AA poll...RO should be No 2. They gave BA a much better contest than Lamar. They didn't surrender the points CA did, either. RO only lost to 2 State Champs and defeated one, TE, at a time when TE was healthy, which they weren't for BA or CA, having lost a few starters in the RO contest. Rant over. Great work on the season.
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From Anonymous.....
The problem with your argument is, 1. Trinity was healthy when they played Brookhaven and 2. Brookhaven beat River Oaks with 60% of their offense on the sideline after River Oaks players took cheap shots. Do the math, if Brookhaven had been healthy the whole game, it would have been a lot worse than it was. Don't complain about a #4 ranking for such a young River Oaks team. They were good, but Lamar and Simpson would have beaten River Oaks easily.
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From Anonymous.....
The injuries BA sustained were not due to cheap shots. Football is a physical sport and injuries happen. Don't try and drag down a young RO team by saying that they took nasty cheap shots that put kids on the sideline because that was not the case.
