Varsity football has finally achieved the much-sought victory that had eluded the team for three years and 25 games.
With a score of 28–14 against Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, varsity ended their losing streak on Sept. 26.
“It feels amazing to finally have the win that we have been working so hard towards,” head coach George Masten said.
Although it was an away game, the Marshall Mob arrived en masse, hoping to witness the first win since homecoming of 2011. Varsity football has been approaching a win all season, starting out strongly against McLean High School on Sept. 12 with a close loss of 21–20.
In the nail-biting away game the next week against Freedom High School on Sept. 19, the team barely missed the mark again with a final score of 30–27.
“What went well was that we [didn’t] let up no matter what, even if we were losing or in the lead,” senior Stephen Tapia said.
Changes in the team’s attitude have led to dramatic changes on the field.
“This year is already ten times better than my past experiences because instead of working for ourselves, we’re working for each other as a team,” senior Dallas Dudding said.
Practice involves offensive and defensive training, as well as conditioning workouts to improve overall fitness.
More focus on circuit training rather than cardio made players physically stronger, meaning they were able to play with more intensity on the field.
“I’ve been telling [the team] if we play the way we [do in] practice, with the same intensity, we can win,” assistant coach Cornell Williams said.
The team also watches videos of themselves from previous games to understand and improve upon their strengths and weaknesses.
“One thing I’ve been really emphasizing to the team is dedication, determination, and preparation,” Masten said.
Mutual respect in the relationship between the coaches and the players, as well as between the players, creates a healthy team dynamic and increases the team’s dedication to winning.
“I feel like I have made a second family at Marshall,” Tapia said.
After the win, the student body and community have rallied behind the the team and are looking forward to more victories, bringing new excitement for football.
“The goal of the season is to change the legacy of the program. Marshall has a reputation of being a team that can’t even compete with the other teams. We’re at the point now where we’ve shown that we can compete, so now it’s time to win some games,” McGuire said.