The 2010 football season was one of the best ever for the Lexington Tigers. They ended the great year with an 11-3 record and played in the fourth round of the state playoffs.
Anyone that followed the success of LHS would, of course, have heard of these guys: Kerry Sellers, the quarterback who had over 1000 rushing yards; Ryan Halliburton, fullback and tailback who had over 1000 rushing yards; AJ Gray, the leading tackler; Caleb Stanford, another great linebacker; and Tim Rogers, the nose guard.
But there are others who you didn’t hear of who were also very important to the success: the practice squad. This includes all the guys who attend every practice, giving it their all, and may not see much or any time during a game. These guys go through week after week of helping prepare the starters reach the high level of performance that allows them to play and win.
Every team goes through an event in the season that brings them together as a team, something that really unites them. For many it’s two-a-days, a training camp, or a big win early in the season, but for LHS it was the first loss in our first game, against their rival: Riverside. It really opened their eyes and showed them that to win they would have to come together and work as team to accomplish their goals.
The next few games went by, and it took the team a while to really get started. They beat Southside only to turn around and lose to Hardin County. They were moving backwards. But they managed to keep winning and finally found their way.
Of course it was a great season with many huge wins, but the one that really stands out as the most memorable was the big defeat of Liberty High School. Before that game, LHS was just another team who could win games; but once they beat Liberty, it really meant something: they were on their way to big things. There were many Lexington fans at that game, and they were always loud. The intensity never dropped once during that game; as a matter of fact, it kept rising throughout the game. Once it was over they knew they were district champions.
Emotions were strong the whole season. There was frustration, joy, annoyance, sadness, and more. As with every sport, there were the devastating injuries: Bryson Carver, who tore his ACL early in the season; and Corey Kocisko who broke his ankle very early too. These were two huge blows to the team. Then there were the little nagging injuries sustained by Russ Henderson, Hunter Allen, Robert Day, Peyton Anderson and many more.
Of course there was also some drama: fights and close calls weren’t rare, but all this was overcome for the good of the team. Tensions rose at halftime several times when the team was down, but they made the most of it and used urgency to come out and overcome all obstacles.
Then there was Memphis Trezvant, the last obstacle before the championship game. Everyone was very confident going into this game. There was no doubt they were going to win. Then, the night of the game it all fell apart. Even though it was one of the most important games they would play, it was possibly the one where they performed the worst. Mistakes, blown plays, turnovers: all leading up to that final devastating defeat that ended Lexington’s run for the state title. The final score was 26-7.
The eyes of players and coaches alike were full of tears afterwards. The realization that that was the last game of the season, and for many the last game of their lives, had hit. The atmosphere was full of grief, yet at the same time, pride. They had left their legacy: first LHS team to advance to the fourth round of the playoffs and one of the best teams the school has ever seen.
There are many things a team must do in order to achieve success. The most important is, without a doubt, working as a team. The many practices held over the spring, summer, and during the season all help the team to learn to communicate and play as one group united. The players all put forth a lot of hard work, and the expression “blood, sweat, and tears” was the story of this season.
We all hope that last season will have set the pace and standard for next year. With a lot of returning players, Lexington looks to build on last year’s success and take it even further. There is a lot of promising talent, and of course, they plan to take it all the way to the state championship.
Questions for Further Writing:
What, in your mind, makes a great team? What sets great teams apart from good teams?
With what aspect of the LHS 2010 season were you most pleased? With what were you most disappointed?
Did you go to any 2010 football games? If not, why not? If so, what were some of the most memorable moments for you?
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