WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.480 --> 00:00:03.799 I hold the bracket in my hand, completed with the 2 00:00:04.120 --> 00:00:06.759 you and the circle around it right here in the middle. Actually, 3 00:00:06.759 --> 00:00:09.839 since I'm left handed, let me do this. Because it 4 00:00:09.919 --> 00:00:12.679 is circled and BT is circled and the center of 5 00:00:12.720 --> 00:00:15.919 the bracket, that means that you won, coming all the 6 00:00:15.960 --> 00:00:19.640 way from the Region six championship. How difficult is it 7 00:00:19.679 --> 00:00:22.679 to be the top ranked team in a lot of 8 00:00:22.719 --> 00:00:24.960 polls to make it from here in the upper right 9 00:00:25.000 --> 00:00:27.160 hand part of the bracket. You mentioned how challenging a 10 00:00:27.199 --> 00:00:29.000 year it was, But how tough is it to be 11 00:00:29.120 --> 00:00:32.759 number one? Stay number one? Deal with the pressure, block 12 00:00:32.840 --> 00:00:35.240 it out and get all the way from here, all 13 00:00:35.240 --> 00:00:37.000 the way to here where I get to circle you 14 00:00:37.039 --> 00:00:38.320 in the middle of a brackets page. 15 00:00:38.520 --> 00:00:40.679 Yeah, it's kind of weird being number one all year. 16 00:00:41.320 --> 00:00:44.439 We were nowhere near that last year, and so we'd 17 00:00:44.479 --> 00:00:48.960 really never felt like we were necessarily number one, necessarily 18 00:00:49.000 --> 00:00:52.520 always the favorite. Even going into you know, powerhouse, like 19 00:00:52.560 --> 00:00:55.200 playing a powerhouse like Marists, it almost felt a little 20 00:00:55.200 --> 00:00:57.039 bit like we're the underdog. They've been there the last 21 00:00:57.079 --> 00:01:00.560 two years, had a lot of experience in state championship games, 22 00:01:00.640 --> 00:01:03.840 and you know, so you know, even though we were 23 00:01:03.880 --> 00:01:06.680 ranked number one. I'm not really sure if that really 24 00:01:06.680 --> 00:01:08.599 sunk in either that we really felt like we were 25 00:01:08.640 --> 00:01:09.239 necessarily the. 26 00:01:09.239 --> 00:01:12.879 Favorites when you're in a title game against a team 27 00:01:12.920 --> 00:01:15.560 that is as talented as yours, going up against a 28 00:01:15.599 --> 00:01:17.239 team that is as talented as Maris. 29 00:01:17.359 --> 00:01:19.480 Walk me through that eighty minutes and what it was 30 00:01:19.560 --> 00:01:19.959 like for you. 31 00:01:21.040 --> 00:01:23.519 Well, we thought we had a pretty solid game plan 32 00:01:23.680 --> 00:01:26.400 in terms of tactics, and we really thought we prepared 33 00:01:26.439 --> 00:01:31.120 the girls very well in terms of psychology. We did 34 00:01:31.239 --> 00:01:33.439 know that Maris had been there the last two years, 35 00:01:33.439 --> 00:01:35.519 so they're going to have a little more experience, maybe 36 00:01:35.519 --> 00:01:38.560 a little bit more you know, composure. At the start 37 00:01:39.159 --> 00:01:42.040 State Championship games can kind of get a little crazy, 38 00:01:42.439 --> 00:01:46.280 and we knew that just with the nerves, and we 39 00:01:46.599 --> 00:01:49.480 were pretty nervous though probably for at least the first 40 00:01:49.480 --> 00:01:52.439 thirty minutes of the game. We expected some things to 41 00:01:52.480 --> 00:01:54.920 go up and down in sideways, but we didn't expect 42 00:01:54.959 --> 00:01:57.439 to be, you know, just a basket of nerves. 43 00:01:57.439 --> 00:01:58.599 For the first thirty minutes. 44 00:01:58.920 --> 00:02:00.560 We were on our heels quite a bit, you know, 45 00:02:00.640 --> 00:02:03.959 just trying to really prevent Maris from getting many quality 46 00:02:04.079 --> 00:02:06.159 chances we didn't have. It didn't see a whole lot 47 00:02:06.159 --> 00:02:09.080 of the ball. Probably about the last ten minutes of 48 00:02:09.120 --> 00:02:12.599 the half, we started seeing a handful of decent sequences 49 00:02:12.639 --> 00:02:15.919 and really seeing the patterns that we had practiced and 50 00:02:17.120 --> 00:02:19.080 in practice to get prepared for Maris. 51 00:02:19.159 --> 00:02:21.639 Finding the gaps where we thought we could expose them. 52 00:02:22.199 --> 00:02:26.120 We started seeing those show up a little bit, and 53 00:02:26.439 --> 00:02:28.719 so God had a little bit of confidence going into 54 00:02:28.759 --> 00:02:31.800 the second half, and I felt like we we definitely 55 00:02:31.840 --> 00:02:33.680 competed a little bit better those last ten minutes the 56 00:02:33.719 --> 00:02:35.479 first half in the second half and made the game 57 00:02:35.520 --> 00:02:39.400 pretty interesting and then really just finally made a play 58 00:02:39.479 --> 00:02:43.039 and defended brilliantly and I ended up on top. 59 00:02:43.280 --> 00:02:47.400 So what were the conversations like with you, the staff 60 00:02:47.800 --> 00:02:51.840 and the girls about Okay, you know it's another I 61 00:02:51.879 --> 00:02:53.680 know that I know that you're telling them that it's 62 00:02:53.960 --> 00:02:57.159 just another game and it's just another opponent, trying to 63 00:02:57.240 --> 00:02:59.680 blot out the fact that there's a title on the line. 64 00:03:00.199 --> 00:03:02.199 Where you were kind of on your heels, how do 65 00:03:02.280 --> 00:03:06.080 you reorient their thought process to have them focus on 66 00:03:06.120 --> 00:03:08.159 the match and not have them focus on a match 67 00:03:08.199 --> 00:03:10.199 that determines a title, if that makes any sense. 68 00:03:10.319 --> 00:03:11.800 Yeah, we just kind of talked about a lot of 69 00:03:11.800 --> 00:03:15.319 the same things we talked about throughout the season. You know, 70 00:03:15.360 --> 00:03:17.400 we had a really really great year, made a lot 71 00:03:17.400 --> 00:03:22.039 of great plays, you know, each individual player, we went 72 00:03:22.080 --> 00:03:24.159 through and highlighted all the you know, a lot of 73 00:03:24.199 --> 00:03:26.879 the great things they've done all year, just so we 74 00:03:26.919 --> 00:03:29.759 could really fuel their self confidence or self belief, their 75 00:03:29.840 --> 00:03:34.280 trust in one another. You know, like you said, it's 76 00:03:34.599 --> 00:03:37.159 it's you tell them it's just another game. But it's 77 00:03:37.199 --> 00:03:39.560 really hard, you know, even for us as coaches, it's 78 00:03:39.560 --> 00:03:41.719 really hard to get that into our minds as well. 79 00:03:43.000 --> 00:03:46.120 But you know, like I said, we really felt like 80 00:03:46.159 --> 00:03:47.879 we had a good game plan. We just went through 81 00:03:47.879 --> 00:03:50.639 the x's and o's like we usually do, and pointed 82 00:03:50.639 --> 00:03:52.439 out the spaces that would work and the patterns that 83 00:03:52.439 --> 00:03:56.319 would probably work against Maris's formation and and their their 84 00:03:56.360 --> 00:03:57.120 style of play. 85 00:03:57.199 --> 00:04:01.560 But went a little haywire, But we fought really really. 86 00:04:01.400 --> 00:04:03.680 Hard win a little haywire. 87 00:04:05.960 --> 00:04:06.319 It did. 88 00:04:06.400 --> 00:04:08.159 Like I said, the first thirty minutes, you know, we 89 00:04:08.240 --> 00:04:10.639 just we felt like we were completely on our heels 90 00:04:10.639 --> 00:04:14.560 and they were all over us. But finally, like I said, 91 00:04:14.800 --> 00:04:16.680 kind of last ten minutes of the first half and 92 00:04:16.720 --> 00:04:17.800 throughout the second half. 93 00:04:17.600 --> 00:04:20.040 Got a little bit better. Control of the game and 94 00:04:20.279 --> 00:04:21.360 competed a little bit better. 95 00:04:21.439 --> 00:04:25.040 So wrapped up the season at nineteen and one nationally, 96 00:04:25.120 --> 00:04:28.160 ranked as high as seven in some polls, ranked number 97 00:04:28.160 --> 00:04:31.399 five in the state of Georgia in some polls. Win 98 00:04:31.759 --> 00:04:36.279 I mentioned this roster and specifically the seniors are that 99 00:04:36.360 --> 00:04:39.480 are leaving. What sticks with you in your mind from 100 00:04:39.480 --> 00:04:41.240 this group of seniors that's graduating. 101 00:04:41.879 --> 00:04:45.680 So we only have four seniors graduating, but this is 102 00:04:45.759 --> 00:04:50.399 probably the best senior leadership we've ever had. Very young team, 103 00:04:50.680 --> 00:04:55.279 eight freshmen, two sophomores that play a ton of minutes 104 00:04:55.360 --> 00:04:58.839 and anywhere. I think during the state championship game at 105 00:04:58.839 --> 00:05:02.680 one point we had six freshmen the field, so you. 106 00:05:02.639 --> 00:05:03.920 Know, a lot of young players. 107 00:05:04.040 --> 00:05:09.560 And uh, this this group of four seniors, really it 108 00:05:09.600 --> 00:05:12.040 didn't really seem like those kids were sophomores and freshmen, 109 00:05:12.199 --> 00:05:14.680 And it was really a lot of the senior leadership 110 00:05:14.680 --> 00:05:19.120 and making them feel included and feel confident and you know, 111 00:05:19.279 --> 00:05:20.959 just feel part of the team. 112 00:05:21.079 --> 00:05:25.000 So nothing like having half a dozen freshmen out there 113 00:05:25.079 --> 00:05:27.920 performing and I mean two of them with the last 114 00:05:28.000 --> 00:05:29.759 name of Melish, I mean, what what what was it 115 00:05:29.839 --> 00:05:32.120 like to to see them? How do you tell them 116 00:05:32.160 --> 00:05:32.839 apart by the. 117 00:05:32.839 --> 00:05:37.000 Way uh they're they're not they're not identical. So and 118 00:05:37.120 --> 00:05:40.519 one's a forward and one's a defender. Uh so, definitely 119 00:05:40.560 --> 00:05:42.879 easy to tell them apart. And and they're actually not 120 00:05:43.040 --> 00:05:48.000 identical looking and they act completely to Okay, Julie is 121 00:05:48.800 --> 00:05:54.759 outgoing and bold and uh you know, excitable and and 122 00:05:54.759 --> 00:05:57.800 and funny and and Anna's you know, just pretty reserved, 123 00:05:58.079 --> 00:06:01.279 uh but but confident and calm and uh. 124 00:06:01.199 --> 00:06:01.959 So very different. 125 00:06:02.000 --> 00:06:03.439 And the way they look and the way they act 126 00:06:03.519 --> 00:06:05.120 and the positions they play everything. 127 00:06:06.040 --> 00:06:09.199 Three double digit goal scorers. But once again, you've got 128 00:06:09.240 --> 00:06:13.360 a you had a lot of different contributors this season 129 00:06:13.519 --> 00:06:18.160 speaking to the balance A that's there, the experience that's 130 00:06:18.199 --> 00:06:21.000 there even if you are an underclassman. So it seems 131 00:06:21.040 --> 00:06:24.600 like that the rhythm was there from early on. When 132 00:06:24.639 --> 00:06:28.879 did you realize that this might be a very special group. 133 00:06:28.959 --> 00:06:30.920 Was there a particular moment this season where that might 134 00:06:30.920 --> 00:06:31.920 have triggered. 135 00:06:32.560 --> 00:06:33.480 I'm not really sure. 136 00:06:33.920 --> 00:06:36.319 You know, we actually lost our opening scrimmage to Milton 137 00:06:36.399 --> 00:06:39.680 and and and didn't look very good. But a couple 138 00:06:39.680 --> 00:06:42.240 of early season games we started getting some rhythm, and 139 00:06:42.439 --> 00:06:45.839 we really work a lot on on actually staying in 140 00:06:45.920 --> 00:06:49.480 rhythm and on passing patterns and just playing and that's 141 00:06:49.480 --> 00:06:50.759 actually when we looked our best. 142 00:06:50.800 --> 00:06:52.639 I think probably one of. 143 00:06:52.639 --> 00:06:57.319 The best games we had all year was the first 144 00:06:57.319 --> 00:06:59.160 half of our second game against Westminster. 145 00:06:59.800 --> 00:06:59.920 Uh. 146 00:07:00.120 --> 00:07:02.680 We came out and we were just playing, you know, 147 00:07:02.839 --> 00:07:06.279 in just such great rhythm, such great confidence, and created 148 00:07:06.319 --> 00:07:09.560 a bunch of chances early. I think we ended up 149 00:07:09.600 --> 00:07:11.480 winning that game three to nothing. Only scored one goal 150 00:07:11.519 --> 00:07:13.399 in the first half, but we were just playing so 151 00:07:13.399 --> 00:07:16.759 so well, and we were like, we thought to ourselves 152 00:07:16.800 --> 00:07:18.199 as coaches, if we can play. 153 00:07:18.000 --> 00:07:19.879 Like that, we definitely definitely have a chance to win 154 00:07:19.959 --> 00:07:20.759 a state championship. 155 00:07:21.759 --> 00:07:23.360 It's it's crazy to think about. 156 00:07:23.399 --> 00:07:25.079 And I want to talk about your defense here for 157 00:07:25.120 --> 00:07:28.680 a second, but I was trying to figure out math 158 00:07:28.759 --> 00:07:31.560 and for me, that's never my strong suit. But you 159 00:07:31.800 --> 00:07:36.360 only gave up one goal in the last basically what 160 00:07:37.040 --> 00:07:39.079 six weeks of the season. 161 00:07:39.279 --> 00:07:40.000 Something like that. 162 00:07:40.079 --> 00:07:43.079 Yeah, which is insane to think about. You only gave 163 00:07:43.160 --> 00:07:46.439 up seven goals all season long. But the but you 164 00:07:46.560 --> 00:07:48.639 gave up the one goal, or you gave up the 165 00:07:49.000 --> 00:07:53.720 goal of Saint Pius back on May the fifth. Before that, 166 00:07:53.959 --> 00:07:56.480 the last time you gave up a goal was the 167 00:07:56.519 --> 00:08:00.319 matchup that you won at Westminster back on March twenty. First, 168 00:08:00.759 --> 00:08:03.600 that to me is crazy defense. The fact that you 169 00:08:03.759 --> 00:08:08.040 only give up one goal in your last three, six, nine, 170 00:08:08.439 --> 00:08:11.680 ten matches, that's insane to me to think about. 171 00:08:12.319 --> 00:08:14.600 Yeah. We actually we actually said that too. 172 00:08:14.600 --> 00:08:16.360 If we if we don't give up any goals, it's 173 00:08:16.360 --> 00:08:17.519 going to be hard for us to lose. 174 00:08:18.000 --> 00:08:22.959 So yeah, I mean, but what's it like to see 175 00:08:22.959 --> 00:08:26.040 that defense works so well where you come up with 176 00:08:26.079 --> 00:08:28.759 that insane a statistic that you only give up one 177 00:08:28.800 --> 00:08:30.199 goal in your last ten matches. 178 00:08:30.959 --> 00:08:32.159 Yeah, I mean, it's really amazing. 179 00:08:32.639 --> 00:08:35.600 I think we've always been a pretty solid defensive team, 180 00:08:35.639 --> 00:08:39.519 even last year. I mean, I think our goal differential 181 00:08:39.639 --> 00:08:41.799 was right around even even though we only won four 182 00:08:41.840 --> 00:08:45.639 games throughout the course of the year. And but we've 183 00:08:45.679 --> 00:08:48.279 always focused pretty hard on being a good defensive team. 184 00:08:48.919 --> 00:08:51.399 We like to keep the ball a lot, but at 185 00:08:51.440 --> 00:08:53.679 the same time, if we're in trouble, we know that 186 00:08:53.679 --> 00:08:55.440 there are moments in the game where we just have 187 00:08:55.559 --> 00:08:58.879 to be safe and be smart and not let the 188 00:08:59.200 --> 00:09:01.320 just destroy the act and not let the opponent get 189 00:09:01.360 --> 00:09:04.080 a chance. So we had a couple, uh, you know, 190 00:09:04.080 --> 00:09:06.039 our defenders did a really really good job of that 191 00:09:06.120 --> 00:09:09.039 this year, of knowing when they could keep it and 192 00:09:09.080 --> 00:09:09.879 knowing when they. 193 00:09:09.879 --> 00:09:11.159 Had to just be a little bit safer. 194 00:09:11.519 --> 00:09:13.840 Another couple of minutes there with Johnny Jackson, the girls 195 00:09:13.840 --> 00:09:15.919 head coach, it Blessed Trinity, your Quad eight champs and 196 00:09:15.960 --> 00:09:16.720 the GHSA. 197 00:09:17.519 --> 00:09:17.639 Uh. 198 00:09:18.279 --> 00:09:21.639 How much time did you actually give yourself to celebrate 199 00:09:21.679 --> 00:09:24.360 once you you won back on the fifteenth, you know, 200 00:09:24.399 --> 00:09:26.720 it's it's been this is the fifth day later. How 201 00:09:26.759 --> 00:09:28.919 much time did you actually give yourself to celebrate and 202 00:09:28.960 --> 00:09:29.600 catch your breath? 203 00:09:30.120 --> 00:09:30.279 Uh? 204 00:09:30.440 --> 00:09:32.440 I kind of feel like I'm still celebrating a little bit. 205 00:09:32.559 --> 00:09:34.159 So I've had a smile on my face, I think 206 00:09:34.200 --> 00:09:38.279 since Thursday, getting still a lot of congratulations in the 207 00:09:38.320 --> 00:09:39.480 school hallway, you know. 208 00:09:39.679 --> 00:09:43.679 And so again I've. 209 00:09:43.799 --> 00:09:46.399 Posting some pictures here and there on social media, still 210 00:09:46.720 --> 00:09:50.840 the same, the same theme, you know, uh, celebrating my 211 00:09:50.919 --> 00:09:53.440 players and stuff like that. So I guess I guess 212 00:09:53.480 --> 00:09:55.679 that it's been really really exciting and really really really 213 00:09:55.679 --> 00:09:56.399 really enjoyable. 214 00:09:56.639 --> 00:09:59.440 What was the craziest reach out that you've got, either 215 00:09:59.519 --> 00:10:01.639 on your phone owner on social media? What was like 216 00:10:01.679 --> 00:10:03.960 the furthest the way someone reached out of the most 217 00:10:04.080 --> 00:10:06.159 random reach out that you've got to sell it to 218 00:10:06.639 --> 00:10:07.759 congratulate the club. 219 00:10:09.480 --> 00:10:10.600 Shoot, I'm not really sure. 220 00:10:11.519 --> 00:10:15.639 I mean, no one reached out from like Eastern Europe 221 00:10:15.720 --> 00:10:16.600 or anything like that. 222 00:10:17.399 --> 00:10:18.840 I don't think so. 223 00:10:18.840 --> 00:10:21.879 So I'm actually, aside from being a soccer coach, I'm 224 00:10:21.879 --> 00:10:24.799 actually a referee and a referee assigner, so you know, 225 00:10:24.919 --> 00:10:28.039 referees from all over that I work with, you know, 226 00:10:28.080 --> 00:10:33.480 who work high school games and things like that. Texting me, yeah, 227 00:10:33.519 --> 00:10:36.159 I can't really think of anything. You know, too crazy. 228 00:10:36.759 --> 00:10:39.320 Well, you said you'd already kind of started thinking about 229 00:10:39.360 --> 00:10:42.399 the twenty sixth season. Have you talked to the schedule maker? 230 00:10:42.519 --> 00:10:43.879 Is your schedule all squared away? 231 00:10:43.919 --> 00:10:44.799 Do you know what's going on? 232 00:10:45.120 --> 00:10:46.080 It's almost done. 233 00:10:46.159 --> 00:10:48.519 I think we have room for one game at the 234 00:10:48.600 --> 00:10:51.840 very end of the year, right before playoffs, and maybe 235 00:10:51.879 --> 00:10:55.960 one in between two of our rough, tough region opponents, 236 00:10:56.159 --> 00:10:58.879 Cambridge and Westminster. I'm trying to decide if I even 237 00:10:58.879 --> 00:11:01.000 want to put a game there. Might be better to 238 00:11:01.000 --> 00:11:02.559 have a week of practice. It'll have to be the 239 00:11:02.600 --> 00:11:04.240 right game if we decided to put one there. 240 00:11:04.720 --> 00:11:08.639 Well, as always, my friend, it's great to see you. Congratulations, 241 00:11:08.679 --> 00:11:10.879 Thanks for putting up with all of our requests for 242 00:11:10.919 --> 00:11:14.600 coming on morning shows and things like that. As we say, 243 00:11:14.639 --> 00:11:17.600 once again, you grab the bracket and you're circled right there. 244 00:11:18.080 --> 00:11:20.120 That means you're a state champ right there, right there, 245 00:11:20.159 --> 00:11:23.679 right there. So congratulations blessed Trinity Class Quade Girls champs 246 00:11:23.679 --> 00:11:27.200 here in twenty twenty five. Coach, once again, thanks for 247 00:11:27.240 --> 00:11:29.840 everything you have been putting up with us all season long. 248 00:11:29.879 --> 00:11:31.399 We'll catch up with you soon, my friend, don't be 249 00:11:31.440 --> 00:11:31.960 a stranger. 250 00:11:32.159 --> 00:11:33.799 Thanks so much, John greatly appreciate it. 251 00:11:33.879 --> 00:11:36.039 There we go, Johnny Jackson, head coach at BT, and 252 00:11:36.039 --> 00:11:38.320 so this is where we do the hot tag, and 253 00:11:38.399 --> 00:11:40.960 so as we roll things through, it's time to catch 254 00:11:41.039 --> 00:11:44.080 up with he had another champ and the first time 255 00:11:44.159 --> 00:11:46.320 that Declan Abernathy gets to show up here on the 256 00:11:46.320 --> 00:11:51.159 morning show. And so, so, how does it feel, sir, 257 00:11:51.320 --> 00:11:53.600 to have Drew Charter as a champion. 258 00:11:56.759 --> 00:12:01.240 It's incredible, you know, first time for our school winning 259 00:12:01.799 --> 00:12:06.240 a soccer championship and second time in the finals after 260 00:12:06.320 --> 00:12:10.639 twenty twenty two and the response, the reaction from the 261 00:12:10.679 --> 00:12:14.639 team and the community on Friday was something else. Honestly, 262 00:12:14.679 --> 00:12:18.879 it felt like something out of a movie or a 263 00:12:18.919 --> 00:12:24.480 TV show, just you know, the crowd, the administrators from 264 00:12:24.919 --> 00:12:27.159 basically K through twelve being out there and. 265 00:12:28.759 --> 00:12:32.279 Making it was it was, it was. It was quite 266 00:12:32.279 --> 00:12:32.679 a feeling. 267 00:12:33.399 --> 00:12:36.840 So, as I mentioned with Coach Jackson at BT, so 268 00:12:37.039 --> 00:12:40.480 I have here in my hands, I have here a 269 00:12:40.600 --> 00:12:42.600 rather thick piece of paper, and I have to deal 270 00:12:42.639 --> 00:12:45.120 with cardstock this time of year because I write things 271 00:12:45.120 --> 00:12:48.960 down a lot class double a boys state soccer championship. 272 00:12:49.120 --> 00:12:52.159 Since you're right here, right here in the middle, and 273 00:12:52.240 --> 00:12:54.279 you ended up getting the wins, so that means that 274 00:12:54.639 --> 00:12:56.480 the season ended the way that you were looking at 275 00:12:57.720 --> 00:13:01.480 ranked number six, came out as team number three, and 276 00:13:01.600 --> 00:13:04.440 you only you only gave up the one goal heading 277 00:13:04.519 --> 00:13:08.279 into the championship game against Shaw. What was that run 278 00:13:08.360 --> 00:13:10.480 like as team three out of the upper right hand 279 00:13:10.559 --> 00:13:12.600 side of the brackets as we all followed along in pen. 280 00:13:14.440 --> 00:13:17.240 Yeah, you know, it was an incredible run. 281 00:13:17.440 --> 00:13:21.279 And we had nine seniors on our squad this year, 282 00:13:21.799 --> 00:13:23.759 and you know I tried to. 283 00:13:25.600 --> 00:13:27.600 Give them as much responsibility as possible. 284 00:13:27.759 --> 00:13:30.679 Right, So when it came to the playoffs, whether it 285 00:13:30.799 --> 00:13:35.720 was the organization of getting themselves ready for pregame, right, 286 00:13:35.879 --> 00:13:39.399 they knew what I expected of them, But I I 287 00:13:39.519 --> 00:13:42.879 refer to them I gave them the responsibility, you know, 288 00:13:42.919 --> 00:13:45.279 on the field for organizing the back line. You know, 289 00:13:45.360 --> 00:13:48.759 all three of our three center backs, our goalkeeper are 290 00:13:48.919 --> 00:13:52.919 starting right wing back for seniors. And I told him 291 00:13:53.000 --> 00:13:55.360 right like, we want to be compact when we're out 292 00:13:55.360 --> 00:13:58.879 of possession, and we have a style of football where 293 00:13:58.919 --> 00:14:00.159 we want to play with the ball. 294 00:14:00.000 --> 00:14:01.879 We we had a box midfield. 295 00:14:02.200 --> 00:14:04.279 We'll want to keep the ball, but when we lose it, 296 00:14:04.720 --> 00:14:06.840 we want to defend as a team, and we're going 297 00:14:06.919 --> 00:14:09.159 to win as a team, and we're going to get 298 00:14:09.159 --> 00:14:11.320 players behind the ball, and if they're going to beat us, 299 00:14:11.559 --> 00:14:14.679 they're going to have to do it by you know, 300 00:14:14.840 --> 00:14:17.639 taking us on the dribble one, two, three, four or 301 00:14:17.720 --> 00:14:19.480 five people and you're not going to get an easy 302 00:14:19.480 --> 00:14:21.720 goal against us. You might score, but it's going to 303 00:14:21.759 --> 00:14:23.759 be very difficult and you're going to have to push yourself. 304 00:14:25.000 --> 00:14:27.000 How hard is it to win eighteen in a row 305 00:14:27.039 --> 00:14:27.879 to finish the season? 306 00:14:29.440 --> 00:14:33.080 Oh man? Yeah? 307 00:14:33.399 --> 00:14:35.120 You know, for most of the season, I wasn't even 308 00:14:35.120 --> 00:14:37.200 really paying attention to the to the wins as it 309 00:14:37.399 --> 00:14:38.960 you know, the wind streak as it came right, just 310 00:14:39.000 --> 00:14:40.200 one game at a time. 311 00:14:40.279 --> 00:14:42.519 As as so many coaches will. 312 00:14:42.320 --> 00:14:45.200 Say, in the jar when you know that. 313 00:14:47.919 --> 00:14:51.360 You know, I think we had a few significant tests. 314 00:14:51.399 --> 00:14:53.519 We played Tri Cities down at their home field. We 315 00:14:53.519 --> 00:14:56.840 played Walker at their home field. I think that Walker game, 316 00:14:56.879 --> 00:14:58.919 which we won on penalties. It was our last regular 317 00:14:58.960 --> 00:15:02.759 season game of the season. It was a big test 318 00:15:02.759 --> 00:15:06.120 for us, but we just we you know, the momentum 319 00:15:06.159 --> 00:15:06.879 started building. 320 00:15:06.919 --> 00:15:07.120 You know. 321 00:15:07.120 --> 00:15:10.039 Our first and only loss was against Paideia, which was 322 00:15:10.039 --> 00:15:14.159 a you know, always a great team, very organized team. 323 00:15:14.480 --> 00:15:16.080 And I told the boys, you know, from the beginning, 324 00:15:16.080 --> 00:15:18.440 we didn't have to be ready to win a state 325 00:15:18.480 --> 00:15:21.759 championship in February, but as the season went on, we 326 00:15:21.879 --> 00:15:25.200 had to continue to grow as a team, to learn 327 00:15:25.279 --> 00:15:28.320 the expectations and what it took. And honestly, for them, 328 00:15:28.360 --> 00:15:30.679 it was about, you know, some of these tight games, 329 00:15:30.879 --> 00:15:33.039 I need takers on the field, but nobody's going to 330 00:15:33.080 --> 00:15:35.879 give you a state championship. It's not going to be easy. 331 00:15:36.360 --> 00:15:40.639 And some of these games, particularly out of our regions schedule, 332 00:15:40.720 --> 00:15:42.320 really pushed us. 333 00:15:42.879 --> 00:15:46.399 You wrap up eighteen and one coming out of Class 334 00:15:46.480 --> 00:15:48.840 Double A, boys, but you had to kind of do 335 00:15:48.960 --> 00:15:51.159 bits and pieces of it on the road. Once you 336 00:15:51.279 --> 00:15:54.039 got out of the the the Glen Hills game in 337 00:15:54.080 --> 00:15:57.279 the three point thirty, then Appling County comes to Drew Charter, 338 00:15:57.480 --> 00:15:59.720 Murray County comes to Drew Charter. Then you had to 339 00:15:59.720 --> 00:16:03.159 go to Reidsville to take on Tattnall County before you 340 00:16:03.279 --> 00:16:05.200 end up having to go and playing for the title 341 00:16:05.200 --> 00:16:07.399 at Mercer Mak And what was that road trip like 342 00:16:07.480 --> 00:16:10.960 for the guys, knowing that everything else had been close 343 00:16:11.039 --> 00:16:14.159 to home. Everything this entire season had been close to home. 344 00:16:14.320 --> 00:16:16.240 But then you're having to pack a lunch at dinner, 345 00:16:16.279 --> 00:16:18.639 a midnight snack and maybe a pillow and a tent 346 00:16:19.279 --> 00:16:21.600 to go down to play in a in a tough 347 00:16:21.679 --> 00:16:24.600 environment down there, and reads will in a growing soccer 348 00:16:24.759 --> 00:16:26.840 environment down there at Tatnall County. 349 00:16:27.320 --> 00:16:31.759 The environment you mentioned, you nailed it is incredible down there. 350 00:16:31.840 --> 00:16:33.039 And actually last. 351 00:16:32.919 --> 00:16:35.120 Year in the playoffs we went on the road to 352 00:16:35.120 --> 00:16:37.360 Toombs County and lost, so it was sort of a 353 00:16:37.399 --> 00:16:38.120 similar area. 354 00:16:38.759 --> 00:16:40.919 And for us. 355 00:16:40.919 --> 00:16:43.039 You know, before the final, of course, we saw this 356 00:16:43.120 --> 00:16:46.480 as easily the biggest challenge of the playoffs. Right Tatnle 357 00:16:46.519 --> 00:16:50.039 County was well ranked. They want to state championship in 358 00:16:50.080 --> 00:16:53.440 the past couple of years, and it's not close, as 359 00:16:53.440 --> 00:16:56.399 you mentioned, So for us you know, part of the 360 00:16:56.440 --> 00:16:58.879 thing that we've been focusing on, but this year, last 361 00:16:58.960 --> 00:17:01.879 year is that mental focus, right, you know, getting on 362 00:17:01.960 --> 00:17:05.039 the bus, you know what is the task require of us? 363 00:17:05.039 --> 00:17:08.720 So you know, we have our meals planned out. You know, 364 00:17:08.759 --> 00:17:11.240 the behavior on the bus is absolute focus. When we 365 00:17:11.279 --> 00:17:14.880 get there, of course the challenge gets harder. You probably 366 00:17:14.920 --> 00:17:17.720 don't know this, but the game was wea they're delayed, right, 367 00:17:17.799 --> 00:17:20.960 had a two hour delay there, couldn't get on the field. 368 00:17:21.880 --> 00:17:25.119 One of the biggest challenges when we first got there 369 00:17:25.319 --> 00:17:29.039 was the flies. The new seams down there were getting 370 00:17:29.119 --> 00:17:32.640 us in the locker room with no AC and it 371 00:17:32.720 --> 00:17:34.119 just kind of felt like there was a lot of 372 00:17:34.119 --> 00:17:38.359 things working against us. And we really wanted to play 373 00:17:38.359 --> 00:17:40.240 that game. Didn't want to make that drive twice. 374 00:17:41.799 --> 00:17:45.000 And we use it as motivation, right, Like you know, 375 00:17:45.079 --> 00:17:47.119 there are all these things that we got to overcome 376 00:17:47.160 --> 00:17:49.720 and if we want to be state champions, nobody's gonna 377 00:17:49.720 --> 00:17:53.319 give us anything. I think, honestly, the crowd and they 378 00:17:53.319 --> 00:17:56.480 have a really small field down there, small grass field, 379 00:17:56.839 --> 00:17:58.720 and for us, like I mentioned, we want to play 380 00:17:58.759 --> 00:18:01.640 with the ball. Small field makes it hard to deal 381 00:18:01.640 --> 00:18:03.799 with their press and they're using the intensity and the 382 00:18:03.920 --> 00:18:06.319 energy from the crowd, and we had to win that 383 00:18:06.359 --> 00:18:10.400 game really ugly. We got one pretty decent goal of 384 00:18:10.200 --> 00:18:12.880 the off a corner, but then we scored off our 385 00:18:12.920 --> 00:18:17.000 own goal on a long throw, and one of my 386 00:18:17.079 --> 00:18:20.880 six is scored basically from half field over their goalkeeper. 387 00:18:20.960 --> 00:18:23.759 And it wasn't maybe the most pretty game that we 388 00:18:23.799 --> 00:18:25.920 had played, but it was a game that required us 389 00:18:26.279 --> 00:18:30.240 to sort of come together and find different solutions to 390 00:18:30.279 --> 00:18:33.440 the problem. And I think, you know, once we were 391 00:18:33.440 --> 00:18:36.599 able to climb that hill, I was feeling really confident 392 00:18:36.599 --> 00:18:37.640 about the championship game. 393 00:18:37.960 --> 00:18:40.920 Yeah, the first time that we've had a no Siam's 394 00:18:41.000 --> 00:18:44.559 reference on the show this season, the high school season. 395 00:18:44.559 --> 00:18:47.000 But that's what it takes, going into these environments and 396 00:18:47.039 --> 00:18:49.000 then you advance from there to Mercer making the take 397 00:18:49.039 --> 00:18:53.400 on Shaw, another building program in another market in the 398 00:18:53.400 --> 00:18:57.079 Western Frontier there in Columbus. When you put five on 399 00:18:57.119 --> 00:18:59.480 the board, was that a surprise from what you were 400 00:18:59.480 --> 00:19:01.680 able to ady going up against Shaw in the final. 401 00:19:04.680 --> 00:19:06.599