Ben, ‘11

December 8, 2007

It’s been quite a year for our football team, but it has come to a close. We lost to Appalachian State 55-35 in the National Semifinals for Division 1 AA. If we had won, we would have been in the National Championship. There was no way that I was going to miss this game, so here is the tale of my adventure to Boone, NC.

Our Athletic Department provided free buses so that us fans could go to the game. The only costs I paid were the $5 ticket and food for the trip. We left at 11:30 AM on Friday and spent six hours traveling to Boone, NC. The system is flawed in that the best team does not always get the home game. We were better than Wofford, but had to play there. They mainly factor who can provide the most seats, best atmosphere, and most revenue. That would not be us. So, we traveled to Appalachian State, who knocked off Michigan earlier this year and is the two-time defending National Champions.

My friend, Sarah, and I are excited and anxious for the game as we ride the bus

After we arrived, our two busloads of fans entered the stadium. There was quite an atmosphere there. Fans were everywhere. They sprint and slide to get the best seats in the fan section. I was fortunate to get a front row seat in the Richmond section and we started to get really excited for the game to start. It was in the mid-40s for temperature, but we had layers and layers of clothing on to stay warm.

Emily and I show our Spider pride

ESPN 2 was showing the game nationwide

Once gametime arrived, the bleachers were packed. The final attendance showed 24,000 people in attendance. I’m pretty sure that Richmond had about 500 fans total. We were drastically outnumbered, but we had a ton of spirit. I had never been to such an intense sports game before. There were fireworks and roaring stands to greet Appalachian State. We did what we could to cheer the Spiders’ arrival. We had white towels that were in constant motion and some fans used body paint to spell “Spiders”. They were rather cold.

The Appalachian State Mountaineers take the field

Some brave souls went without shirts. They had on more in the second half.

We had a rough start and could not stop Armanti Edwards, their quarterback. However, our offense was doing pretty well. We were able to score and our fan sections went crazy. The television cameras came over and I’m pretty sure that I got on TV. Let me know if you saw me. However, our defense was just having a difficult time keeping up with their amazing quarterback. At halftime, it was 35-21 in favor of Appalachian State. That was lucky since we got a last second touchdown before the half ended.

We never lost spirit. Our student body president really got into it,

We all take a break during halftime

Starting the second half, we came out strong. We scored and then scored again off of a turnover. It was 35-35. After we tied it, there was pandemonium in our section. We were all screaming, hugging, yelling, etc… It was the most excited I’d been all day, and probably all semester. We could possibly knock off the two-time defending National Champs. I had already lost my voice after the first quarter, but I was getting into it. I was probably one of the most vocal and energized fans in our entire section.

I made this sign so that it could get me on TV. I think it did. Did you see it?

It was 35-35. Here’s proof. Sorry for the bad quality.

However, our joy was not meant to last. Armanti Edwards continued to destroy us. On their next possession, it was 3rd and nine and he ran for a lot of yards. It was heartbreaking. That play basically turned the tide of the game and the momentum back to them. I think they only punted once all game. We just couldn’t stop him. It was so frustrating. in the end, we lost 55-35 and Armanti Edwards, their quarterback, had rushed for 314 yards and thrown for a lot too. I think that was a rushing record for a quarterback. It was the most that any quarterback has ever rushed in a game, whether it be NFL, FBS, or FCS. It was rather humiliating, yet we stuck close.

The final score. What a sad sight.

After the game, their fans rushed the field. They torn down the goalposts and paraded them through campus. It was heartbreaking since we had come so close. I so wanted to storm the field if we had managed to knock them off. However, all that we had to look forwards to was a six hour drive home. We stopped for food and everyone was physically and emotionally exhausted. Finally, we arrived back to campus at 6:00 AM. Writing this 24 hours later, I am still emotionally exhausted from the game and have very little physical energy. I was so excited before the game and then we had a rough start. However, they teased us with a comeback to tie it, yet it slipped away. It was heart wrenching

Appalachian State fans rush the field

They tore down the goalposts after their victory

Through it all, I am very proud of our team and what they accomplished this year. They were one of the top four teams in the entire nation. They also won the most games in school history and made it to the National Semifinals for the first time as well. So many records were set and our running back, Tim Hightower, was voted as the second best player in Virginia, behind Chris Long of the D1 school UVA. Also, I was more proud than ever to be a Spider. During the game, we had such spirit and excitement and it was amazing. One of my major frustrations is a sense of apathy among students. They don’t attend as many events or games as I would like them to. However, our small fan section at the game was incredible. We were all bonded together and so invested in our team. There was a huge sense of pride among us. I hear that most of campus watched the game on TV as well. I was still upset after finding out that some of my friends gave up on the game early on and didn’t watch it after the half. Yet, they are die-hard fans of their other teams. I just don’t understand. Oh well, I guess that I’ll just need to work on doing what I can to improve overall spirit.

Since I am exhausted, I must say farewell. Finals are upon me and I must summon the last of my strength. Once again, I am still open to questions and will have plenty of time to answer them during break.

Countdown to Home: 6 days
Countdown to Christmas: 17 days
Quote of the Week: “The greatest test of courage on earth is to bear defeat without losing heart.” - Robert Ingersoll
Thought to Ponder: Do you remember seeing me on ESPN 2 during the game?
Shout Outs: The Richmond Spiders football team for an outstanding season