Let’s be honest, except for perhaps a few Dayton diehards, who saw this coming???  Certainly not me, or anyone else who follows our Mustangs closely.  To be honest,  probably not even the Dayton team on the bus en-route to Alexandria earlier in the evening.  We were as healthy as  team could be at this time of the year, had played a tough schedule, and were riding a 7 game win streak over the Greendevils.   Even when down 14-0 at the half we all envisioned a second half rally, and miraculous comeback where we would explode, and at very least produce a climatic finish where we would emerge victorious.

However, “Why we play the game” was in evidence in this one, and Dayton’s defense stymied us when it had to, and their offense owned time of possession.  They also found a way to score a pair of touchdowns in the waning minutes of the first half, throwing the gauntlet to our guys, who never got untracked on this Friday night in Alexandria.

And then there was that 22-6 win over Ludlow that surely had to be a fluke.  Guess not.  When you added it all up, and actually played 48 minutes of football, the Greendevils shut out our Mustangs for the only time this season, and the first time since we were blanked 7-0 a year ago versus Newport, and only the second time since October 12, 2018 when Paris accomplished the feat 28-0.

We had our chances – several times.  Even late in the game when we found ourselves inside the red zone, but the Dayton defense denied us even first downs to sustain drives, and we turned the ball back to them on downs with time, and our season running out on us.  

Even the NCC fans in attendance went home unhappy.  They wanted to play us.  They’ve already played Dayton, and were looking forward to hooking up with us, as much as our fans were anticipating a ’23 edition of a Brossart-NCC rivalry game next Friday night at the site of their choosing, which will now have to wait another year. 

Dayton won. And they won fairly and with few wouldas, couldas, or shouldas, and no one is to blame but ourselves.  We were simply outplayed on this night which saw Dayton make big plays when they needed them on both sides of the ball.  I feel bad for our staff, our team, and particularly our seniors, who were certainly anticipating at least one more week of their high school football careers.  Too Bad, but it is what it is.  Over my lengthy sports career, I’ve seen us win games and championships where I’ve wondered how we did that, and basked in the glory of the victory.  But, I’ve also seen times like Friday night where we anticipate a win, and didn’t get it, leaving that empty feeling in the pit of your stomach, which for me, leaves me wanting to pull the covers over my head in the morning when the realization that it is over, fully sets in.   I’m sure that the Greendevils had a happy trip back to Dayton.  They deserved it.  I’m happy that our program has come along to the point where beating us is cause for elaborate celebration.  Our future is extremely bright with a plethora of talented underclassmen returning, and a stable of contributing freshmen, and a group of Middle-Schoolers  on standby just waiting their turn.  On to hoops season and the off-season, as we anticipate the onset of the 2024 Football season next  August 16th, probably at Walton-Verona.  Until then………….