Editor’s Note:  “Inside the Huddle” is new weekly feature in the Eagle Eye by Seth Umholz.  Using his unique perspective as a senior and team captain, Seth will reflect on each game and provide thoughts on the upcoming match-up each week of the football season.

“It’s finally here, fellas!”—These were the first words I spoke to the group of suited up football players that surrounded me last Friday evening in a Bellwood Antis locker room. I started out my pregame speech this way because I wanted to remind these guys that all we had worked for over the past month (seven months if lifting is included) was finally going to pay off that night.

Over all, the past month of full-bore preseason practices had gone pretty well. The team went through its fair share of adversity due to injuries and other circumstances, but that is expected every year. Due to this, I was pretty confident that the team was ready for the challenge that awaited us that night. Bellwood never fails to put a formidable group out on the field each year and I knew that this year would be no different.

The locker room pregame was pretty emotional for several reasons, but one of the main reasons was that the seniors knew that this would be the last Backyard Brawl they would play in. The emotions only escalated when James Oliver’s dad—Coach Oliver—gave his rousing pregame speech. More than one eye was teary in the locker room while we all prepared for battle.

When the time to walk out on the field for the game arrived, we all lined up with the seniors in front (including the captains—Erik Wagner, James Oliver, Jared Muir and myself). As we got closer to the field, the crowd began to get louder and louder with excitement—and then we burst through our sign to enter the football field for the game. The feeling I personally get when running through that sign and hearing the crowd erupt is incredible. Each player on the football team would most likely tell anyone that nothing can get you more fired up than thousands of people cheering for your team.

The game was no easy task; cramps were an issue throughout the second half. This is something that is not uncommon for the first game (especially when the temperature is approaching 90 degrees). However, we were victorious and bested the Blue Devils 20-6. The win was celebrated Friday night and Saturday, but come Sunday at our film session we refocused and are now in the process of preparing for this coming Friday against Central.