Ending the Regular Season With a Fizzle...

Last Friday was the final football game of the regular season. Wylie was playing Brownwood in Brownwood to end the regular season. This week was kind of a weird week since all the playoff spots were set and there were really none of the games had any bearing on what was going to happen in the playoffs. So, I picked the game I figured would be a decent game at least. Well, the game wasn't a great game, but it was quick. Both teams kind of went old school and ran the ball so much that the first half lasted barely more than an hour. The game was so quick it was over before 10pm. I don't think I've ever covered a game that finished that quick. So, even though it was a really ugly game it almost made it worth it given how quickly it was over, plus there were a few decent images made despite how quickly the clock was spinning.

Six-Man Thursday Night Football...

I don't shoot a whole lot of six-man football, it just doesn't work out either with the timing or there aren't any decent matchups when I can get there. Not to mention most regular season six-man games usually just suck. The talent gap between the good and bad teams especially at this level is huge, and it's usually the third or fourth week of the playoffs before the talent gap narrows. So, when Ira was playing Aspermont, both teams undefeated, in a Thursday night game on the final week of the season for the district championship it was almost a no-brainer to cover the game.

I ended up having to shoot two assignments before heading out and had to write a photo column then make the 90 minute drive to Ira for the game. All that together put me about 15 minutes behind, so when I got there Ira was already up 14-0. Uh oh! Then in the couple minutes it took me to go from my car to the field Ira scored again. One of the cool things about going to these small towns is seeing a few hundred fans cheering on their schools. That number may not sound that big, but when you realize that the combined enrollment of these two schools is less than 200 it really makes it kind of cool.

Well, the game was pretty much a blowout. Ira led 44-0 at halftime and tried to kick a field goal as time expired in the half to end it (in six-man football if one team goes up by 45 points or more the game is over at halftime or after halftime when the team goes ahead by 45), but the kick was blocked. So, basically, I had to wait through halftime for Ira to score one more time. Aspermont got the opening kickoff of the second half and started driving the ball pretty well for a few plays and was looking like they'd be at least a little pesky for the second half. But, that didn't last too long. They ended up turning the ball over on downs, then Ira just marched the ball down the field to end it. This game that was supposed to be pretty good turned out to be kind of a flop, too bad, I was hoping for one of those great high scoring games... oh well, maybe during the playoffs.

Playoffs...

November might as well just be called the month I'm never home, let's see home many miles I can drive in a single month without ever leaving the state. So, the first playoffs I shot was Cooper playing Arlington Martin in Brownwood. It's been a while since Cooper made the playoffs in 5A, they did make it once during their 2-year stint in 4A, but their one playoff match was far away and one of the other local teams had a home match. But, a short trip to Brownwood was an easy choice to cover. Well, the match wasn't all that great Arlington Martin was good and Cooper was just over matched. They ended up losing the match in three games and it wasn't event that close. Getting blown out so bad, there wasn't a whole lot of emotion about the end of their season, but I was happy with the action shots I got from the match.

Ending the Streak...

It's hard to call a game a rivalry, when it is so lopsided that one team has a 23-game losing streak that dates back almost 50 years. That is how long Hardin-Simmons has been dominating it's cross-town rival McMurry. And most of those year the score has been pretty dominating on HSU's part. This year, though, McMurry has a really good team and HSU is down a little. It was also McMurry's last chance to get a win, since it was probably the last time these two teams would play with McMurry moving up to play in NCAA Division II next year.

The game wasn't all that exciting, McMurry didn't air it out quite like they had been doing all year with HSU's biggest team strength being pass defense. So, they stuck with a fairly conservative running and short passing game moving the ball down the field pretty slowly but effectively and often. HSU was running the ball well, but could never really get ahead or ended up with an untimely turnover when they didn't need it. Personally, I'd have preferred a little more offense, just makes for better pix, but I did manage to get a few that I was happy with. And given how long the streak was, it made for a couple nice celebrations photos after the game was over too.

Candy Dispenser Day...

I've always thought of Halloween as a "Love it or Leave it" kind of holiday. I've got some friends that absolutely live for the day, me I've never been the type to like to dress up for anything, that includes going all out on a costume. In fact, that last time I can remember wearing a costume, if you even want to call it that, was when my roommates and I went to K-Mart in college and spent $6 on a box of women's knee high stockings and squirt guns and dressed as "robbers" so we could get into a concert for half price. However, I am one to appreciate a really cool costume, especially one that is homemade or just really well thought out and partially homemade (probably because it's a lot more than I'd ever invest into my costume).
So, last Thursday, I when I was assigned to shoot the Fall Festival (begin rant: which is the new PC term that churches and businesses use as to to offend those who don't appreciate Halloween as a fun event, but find it to be a satanic holiday, end rant) at the Mall of Abilene not only was my goal to find nice moments, but also people in really cool, unique costumes that go beyond he store-bought cheap plastic costumes you see every year. And, I think my two favorites were the owner of the Chick-Fil-A in her chicken Pez dispenser and the kid who's mom made him this awesome Easy Mac outfit out of yellow-painted TP and paper towel rolls, including a fork with noodles on it... just too cool! I'm still not dressing up though, but I will give out candy... hey, I'm not a total Halloween Grinch!

Crosstown Blowdown...

On paper, this was going to be a great football game. Finally, we were going back to the good old days when Abilene High and Cooper were a great matchup, sort of like the way the game went last year, a good tight game that was going to be a toss up as to who won. And then... they kicked off. Well, it wasn't quite that quick but Abilene High did move the ball down the field and score on their first drive.

Then Cooper got the ball back and the first wheel fell off. Abilene High scored again, only a field goal, but you just kind of got this feeling the momentum was on their side. On Cooper's first four possessions they turned the ball over three times and punted once. It was ugly, really ugly. The score at halftime was 42-0.

I really hate covering blowouts, especially when all signs were pointing to a great night of football and the game was decided in the first 5 minutes. Because, you know any chance of seeing really great action was starting to slip away. The winning team is going to start playing conservative and not trying to run up the score. The second team players get put in the game to get reps and during the second half I'm just hoping for some decent frames to fill out my online slideshow. Overall, it was a pretty big disappointment, luckily I did make a couple of nice frames, but when players are making 50-yard touchdown runs without ever getting touched, you just leave the game with kind of an empty feeling, knowing you potentially missed out on some really great frames.

Crosstown Volleyball, College Style...

The week before Halloween is always Crosstown Rivalry week, not only for the high schools but also for the two local D3 colleges, McMurry and Hardin-Simmons. It's kind of weird this year though, since McMurry is moving up to play NCAA Division II next year, so this is the last time the week both the volleyball and football games will be combined. It's not going to be quite as fun next year, but the week won't be as busy as well either.

When they played earlier this year, McMurry won the first game pretty easily and then Hardin-Simmons ended up winning the next three straight games to take the match in four games. This time McMurry won the first game in a blowout, then Hardin-Simmons came back to win the next two games pretty easily. It was looking like deja vu all over again. This time, however, McMurry ended up winning the next match, forcing a fifth game. Now, not only is it rare to see a five-game volleyball set, it's even more rare for me to stick around for all five games. But, given the rivalry and the emotions flowing I figured I'd stick around for the whole thing. Plus, they only play the final game to 15, so at least it'll go a little quicker. And, the added bonus is since they were playing so close the final two games I knew there would be some great emotion from the win, and given the heated rivalry, that just added to things.