High school football Week 7 lookback: What we learned in Korea on Saturday
Published: October 11, 2008
Reaction around the Korean peninsula after the Daegu American at Seoul American game was pretty much the way one would react if hit across the temple by an Ernie Banks signature model Louisville Slugger:
After coming to, you might be tempted to say, "What?", "You're kidding," "How did that happen?" and "Geez, Halloween's early this year." At least those were someof the statements that rattled through the cell phone.
Chris Ford's 66-yard fumble-return touchdown broke an 8-8 deadlock in the fourthquarter and the Warriors went on to stun the Falcons 14-8.
Bit of perspective: It was Daegu's first win over Seoul American since the split-squad days ended and the Falcons fielded one united team in 2002, the last year of the old Youth Activities League Senior Division.Not since the Clinton administration had Daegubeaten a Yongsan Garrison football entity, a 30-24 win over the Yongsan Dragons on Nov. 14, 1999.
What does that tell us?
Despite their injuries (two quarterbacks already out and now add Phillip Cox to the injured list), which make the roster about the size of Coca-Cola bottle top, the Warriors have heart the size of Runway 31-Left at John F. Kennedy Airport. They don't know how to spell Q-U-I-T, much less know what it means.
As for the Falcons, four turnovers and six penalties for 55 yards at the absolute worst times spelled their doom. "Mistakes will kill you," Don Meredith used to say many times on Monday Night Football. Even marvelous rushing performances by such standouts as Trinadai Stansel (173 yards, 13 carries) can go undone by fumbles and interceptions in the red zone. You can bet the Falcons will come back to practice Monday with renewed dedication to take care of the ball.
That Oct. 24 Osan-Daegu game, with Class A title game rights on the line,should be a real doozie.
And those Cougars continue to play to their strengths, smashmouth, ground-pounding, pile-driving, heavy-duty between-the-tackles running game, with hitting that resounds so much it rattles both lines' ancestors.
Osan is a big team. Singapore's All-Stars were bigger. Guess there's something to that saying about "it's not the size of the Cougar in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the Cougar."
What a fun month this has been.
135 days.
