Let me take you to an alternate universe, one exactly like our own but with just a few small tweaks.
In this alternate reality, Century’s football team is ranked second in the state, and the D-back faithful are buzzing with excitement and anticipation. And they should. The Diamondbacks are undefeated.
Behind a powerful spread offense with dynamic playmakers like Scott Kuhn, Remy Lambson, Mason Spillett and Logan Fackrell, senior quarterback Shane Rominger is like a high school version of Peyton Manning. He just hangs out in the pocket gunning touchdown passes against helpless defenses unable to corral the D-back speedsters.
Century is 4-0, and it all began Sept. 6 at Holt Arena when the heavily-favored Rams’ last-ditch, 80-yard comeback drive fell just short. Highland quarterback Tommy Jewell scrambled out of the pocket, looked downfield, but he missed the open receiver in the end zone. Instead, he ran, juked and twisted his way to the Century 3-yard line.
The clock struck zero before the Rams could run another play, though, and the D-backs beat their cross-town rival for the first time in the school’s history.
In this alternate reality, one so close to this one, defeating Highland spurred Century to greater heights. Rominger, middle linebacker Austin Ferguson and the crew were confident entering the season, but taking out Highland validated all the off season preparation.
In the world close, so close to ours, holding on to late to fourth-quarter leads emerges as a theme.
Century suffered a let down in its second game when Skyline visited the Dome. The Grizzlies’ quarterback Zak Bennett (who Matt “Crazy Pants” Gittins loves to point out looks like Matthew Stafford, because, well, he looks exactly like Matthew Stafford) runs around, avoids pressure and wills his team to keep it close.
But up 21-19, the Diamondbacks’ defense comes up big again in the fourth quarter when they had the Grizzlies pinned at their own 28-yard line with three minutes and 24 seconds left. Bennett, for all his elusiveness, is sacked on fourth and 10 and Skyline turns the ball over on downs.
After pummeling the Blackfoot Broncos 38-21 on the D-backs’ opening road trip of the season, Century moved to 3-0 overall and 1-0 in the 4A 5-6 District.
It set up a crucial game of unbeatens at Rigby High School last Friday.
Once again, Century clung to a lead in the fourth quarter. Rigby had first and 10 on the Diamondbacks’ 49-yard line.
The Trojans methodically worked their way to the 10. They had already gaffed, shanked and bumbled through two missed extra points and an errant field-goal attempt, but with less than three minutes left to play, Rigby head coach Randy Waite had no choice but to go for the winning kick.
Before the attempt, though, Century’s defense jumped offsides. A 27-yard field goal morphed into a 22-yard gimme. But, no, miraculously, Rigby’s kicking game caved to the pressure and the Trojans made like Florida State and went wide right.
Century escaped, stayed undefeated and Pocatello’s local sports writer wrote a column declaring the Diamondbacks were “The Chosen Team,” with the reasoning that all their talent came together every Friday night with pure, simple luck to form an unbeatable combination.
In that alternate reality, Century coaches David Spillett, Keaton Campbell, Robert Blevin, Caleb Caple, Jay Ferguson, Scott Eldredge and Rich Woodfin all sleep soundlessly, like men who know the D-backs can handle every tough situation. A few even start to believe that they do have special team, “The Chosen Team.”
Because in three close games, they had always figured out some way to do just enough.
But that alternate universe, of course, doesn’t exist.
Century isn’t 4-0. The Diamondbacks are 1-3 and they’ve watched three fourth-quarter leads slip away like Lane Kiffins’ popularity in Los Angeles.
I shouldn’t have called it an alternate universe. It’s more like a fantasy for D-back fans, coaches and players.
It’s unreal, almost implausible that Century has led Highland, Skyline and Rigby and each time the other team has made the key play to win late, whether it’s a field goal by Skyline and Rigby or a touchdown pass from the Rams.
It’s rotten luck, and some of it’s self-imposed. The D-backs have committed turnovers and penalties and poor execution has struck at the worst times.
Can I say what we’re all thinking?
Century is the best 1-3 team — ever. And that’s just about the worst thing to be.
But if luck never lasts, shouldn’t bad luck run out too?
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