This season for the Govs was one different than years past. The team had to deal with a certain type of adversity the program is not accustomed to. Losing. Governor football is a program that personifies success.
Success can be defined in a multitude of ways. For some teams it is finishing over .500, other teams its a playoff berth, some teams see success as winning just one lone game. For the Govs, success is defined by Championships. Fair? Probably not. Earned? Absolutely. What other expectations would you have of a team that has not only been to 7 straight State Championship games, but has a 7-0 record. But this season was different than all of those in years past. This team had an unprecedented number of question marks surrounding them. What would the identity be? Would this rag-tag and inexperienced group of guys be able to figure it out? But the biggest question of all, would this team be able to keep the streak alive?
I distinctly remember a warm July afternoon out on one of the golf courses here in Pierre, talking with a gentleman on the second tee box. I was still very new to the city of Pierre having moved from Georgia only a month before, so I was trying to better learn the sports culture I was beginning to contribute to. My playing partner, who will remain nameless, told me that Pierre was one of the premier programs in the state, but that this years team would not have what it takes to get to the final game of the season in the Dome. Puzzled, I asked for him to expand. He continued that the team was too inexperienced and did not have a true leader at quarterback like they had with other squads. And that seemed to be the running belief throughout the city. Well, everywhere except inside the Gov’s locker room.
I got the unique experience to workout with the team on their very first day of the season. A workout they lovingly refer to as the ‘County Fair’. There were no x’s and o’s, it was all about seeing what character these guys had within. You can see how that day went here, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gm-K6JE2Bx0&t=7s . I couldn’t get a feel for how the team would actually look and play on gameday. But, what was apparent was the leadership that would be governing this team (no pun intended). There was a certain respect for the “voices” in the room. The coaching staff had command, as did the seniors who were equally as vocal. It was also apparent that the entire team (coaches included) had heard the noise from the outside. The chatter that the greatest college coach of all time, Nick Saban, refers to as “rat-poison”. Steele was very clear at the end of this day that this team was on a mission to tune out what others had to say and worry about thriving, not surviving. Which brings us to last night.
The Govs came into this game as true underdogs. When these two teams met in the regular season back in late September, the Bucks dominated the Govs on the ground and through the air hanging 35 points and only allowing 7. The teams were on two different levels. It was Pierre’s third loss in a row that would ultimately turn into four. The Govs were in an unprecedented spot by their standards. But the leadership ultimately righted the ship and got the team into the playoffs as the 4-seed. The Bucks and Govs were on a collison course and a rematch was imminent. But if there is one truth in high school football and especially with Pierre, it is tough to beat a team twice.
Pierre scored on the second play of the game with a well-designed play and took a 7-0 lead. But the Bucks dug in and took a 9-7 lead into the half. The Gov’s defense was playing a much different game than the performance against the Bucks a few weeks ago when Yankton’s up-tempo offense had the Govs on their heals all evening. After forcing a punt late in the fourth quarter and trailing by two, a beautiful return by George Stalley set Pierre up on Yankton’s front porch. Four plays later, Elijah Boutchee ran right through the front door and into one of the two State Championship slots as there was only seconds left that the Bucks could do nothing with. All the doubt, all the disbelief in the roster washed away in the 14-9 victory that punched their ticket to the DakotaDome.
An incredible bounce back in a season of woes that none of these players, or coaches for that matter, had never experienced. The Govs will play the Watertown Arrows next Friday night in the DakotaDome at 7:00 PM CT on River 92.7 and DRGnews.com.
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