I kind of shirked my blogging duties. Sorry about that, but I wanted to make a final post here at the end of the season.
The Oakers have a lot to be proud of this year. They made the playoffs. This hasn't happened in a while and the boys should be proud of their accomplishment. The boys had to fight hard in the last division game of the year to beat Woonsocket and get the opportunity to go to the playoffs. They rose to the challenge.
The Thanksgiving game started off in a great way. Unfortunately, due to several team mistakes and a couple of bad calls, there was a brutal point swing before half time. I have seen the Oakers for 6 years now. The team has often given up after falling behind by a few touchdowns. This year’s team did not follow that path. They kept playing and made the game very exciting in the fourth quarter. The Oakers should also be proud of themselves for this as well.
Next year holds a lot of promise. We have a very talented quarterback (Joe Foley) returning for his senior year. He did a good job this year, and it's been great to see him improve and mature over the last few years. We also have a few talented and fast running backs returning. There are also a couple of linemen returning. It would be awesome if they all hit the weight room three to four times a week between now and August.
Finally, I would like to recognize this year’s seniors. They were an impressive group of young men and led the team well. They played with honor and enthusiasm and I always enjoyed watching them play. It was a pleasure to cheer them on each week.
In particular there was one senior that I most enjoyed watching, my son. I still remember his first year playing, as a ten-year old. It’s been such an honor and pleasure to see him grow and improve over the years. I have enjoyed all the times that I have been able to coach and see him play through the years.
To all the seniors I say, "Good luck in your future endeavors and thanks for the memories."
