-
Columbia quarterback Jordan Smith scrambles out of the pocket against Robert E. Lee during Friday’s Region 1-6A semifinal. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)
Jordan Smith could barely stand, held up by his mother as they walked to Columbia’s postgame huddle.
Tears rolled, but he wasn’t the only one. His teammate shared his sorrow all the same.
It was another playoff loss to Robert E. Lee, but for 20 seniors, it was the end of their high school careers. And for most of them, the reality of finality led to an avalanche of emotions.
For a majority of players, this wasn’t just the end of high school football. This was the curtain closing on the sport permanently.
Only a few go on to play in college. The rest must say goodbye. That’s what makes high school football so special — it means so much.
As Cale Zarah’s pass found the arms of Timothy Gallion on fourth-and-goal for the game-winning touchdown in double overtime of Friday night’s Region 1-6A semifinal, the Tigers dropped to their knees as a sea of Generals danced in celebration amongst the fallen. And I could see just how important this program is to every single player that dawns the purple and gold colors.
It’s blood, sweat and tears. The Tigers pour all of it into every practice from January to November and to have it all snatched away in one play — one play from a final eight berth — was devastating.
Even more so for those that will never step on a football field again.
“The biggest thing to me is when you see kids that are hurt after a football game like this, they’re fully invested in the things that we’ve taught them all year long,” Columbia coach Brian Allen said. “They’re fully invested in this program and it hurts…they spent countless amounts of hours in the summer getting prepared to come out and try to win a district title, to try and win a championship and that tells me here’s a bunch of kids that were invested and believed in what we’re doing.”
The 2020 class was a special group. Don’t let anyone tell you differently. Yes, the Tigers may have come up short of their goals, especially after a promising 6-0 start to the season, but those 20 seniors will be remembered for years to come.
Some may choose to remember this team as the one that couldn’t get over the hump, that one that never got past Lee in the playoffs despite three tries in four years. But not me. No, I’m going to remember this group as the one that made history.
I’ll remember the 20 seniors that were on that squad that marched into Bradenton last August and beat down IMG Academy, the No. 1 team in the nation in the Preseason Classic.
I’ll remember the team that grabbed the No. 1 ranking in the state in back-to-back seasons.
I’ll remember the electric Smith-Marquez Bell duo, who go down as the school’s all-time leaders in passing and receiving.
And who could forget giving Madison County the boot on Boot Hill this season? Another No. 1 team the Tigers took down.
“We were a different class,” senior defensive back Derek Johnson said. “We worked hard and grinded hard every year. But what I want people to remember about the class of 2020 is how we didn’t give up, how we played through what people say. We don’t care about what the outside world says. It’s about what’s inside this little group we have.”
The group was special and it won’t be forgotten. And it’s been a pleasure covering you these past two seasons.
Bell and Smith, along linebacker Le’vontae Camiel, are set to sign with USF in February. I’m sure a few others will ink letters of intent to colleges as well. But to those who don’t, remember that you’ve left your mark at Columbia, regardless of what anybody says.
“There are a lot of great memories that this team has made over these years that they’ve been here as a group, and at the end of the day, they’re going to leave their legacy for the next group that has to get ready when we roll back in here in January,” Allen said.
Let’s see what you’ve got, 2021.