BACK IN BLACK Friday Nov 7 • Mount Ayr vs Earlham • 7:00pm • Raider Stadium Class A State Playoff Quarterfinals !!!!! Whew!!! Our whirlwind trip through the state playoffs continues! We had a great game with Van Buren on Monday night. Our offensive line and running backs pounded out over 500 yards (for the second game in a row!) and the defense contained a high powered passing attack (also for the second game in a row!). It was another total team victory, with contributions from the entire squad during the week (i.e., four days) of practice and throughout the game. The 2014 Raider team continues to make history. For the first time ever, Mount Ayr is hosting a third consecutive playoff game. That gives us a total of eight home games this year - almost an entire season of games that we have played at Raider Stadium! That is a thrill for all of us, but especially for our seniors. They know that this is the last time they will walk down the hill as Back in Black plays over the loudspeakers... The last time they will cross under the Raider Country sign... The last time they will swarm across their field... The last time they will line up for the National Anthem on our sideline... What a great reward, and a great opportunity, for a special group of young men! More history: This is the first time Mount Ayr has ever hosted a quarterfinal game! This is an honor, a privilege... And an opportunity. This team wants to completely re-write the history book, and the next chapter awaits us on Friday night. It is safe to say that this is the biggest game ever played in our stadium, and the atmosphere will be unlike anything we have ever experienced! If this one doesnt make your toes tingle and the hair stand up on the back of your neck, you better check your pulse! Earlham is a familiar opponent, as we faced them just one month ago. They are certainly on a roll: they have won 6 out of their last 7 games, they are playing with a lot of confidence, and they are putting up big numbers. I promise you that our players respect their team and what they have accomplished. They have gone on the road and won two playoff games - a very impressive achievement. Plus they knocked off undefeated and #1 seeded Montezuma to get to the quarterfinals for the first time. They will come to town on Friday fired up and ready to play, and they will give us their best shot. And I am confident that will get our best shot as well. We are excited for the challenge that lies ahead of us, and we are ready to climb the next rung on the ladder. We like to remind our players that being a Raider football player is a life-long commitment. Once a Raider, always a Raider is a phrase that we repeat often. That has certainly been evident this week, as we have heard from many former players and coaches. Everyone in our program appreciates hearing from our Blackshirt brothers, and it is a source of strength for our players. The forces of pride and tradition are very powerful, and we know that when we take the field on Friday night, we wont be alone. There will be thousands of Raiders lined up beside us, and watching over us. We will proudly carry Raider tradition and Raider pride onto the field with us, and we are grateful for the strength that the Raider family gives to our team. We also draw strength from our fans! You are the best, and we know that you are just as anxious for this game as we are! We can only imagine the electricity that you will generate in the stadium on Friday night! We need EVERYONE in Raider Country to give a HUGE EFFORT on Friday -Your role is critical, and we need your help!!! Be as loud and proud as possible, but please remember to be respectful of our opponents, their fans, and the game officials. Show class in all that you say and do before, during, and after the game. Be a real Raider by displaying good sportsmanship at all times! Coach Delwyn Showalter Thanks for your support & GO RAIDERS!!!
Posted on: Thu, 06 Nov 2014 15:07:52 +0000
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