After our game at DePauw in Friday night, we bused part of the way south and finished out the trip on Saturday morning, arriving at Centre around noon. We walked the game field for a few minutes and then, due to the rain, headed to their practice facility for a light stretch. Obviously I am a Centre grad and it was also Homecoming at Centre so it made for a special day. There was a lot of buzz on campus and the team did a fantastic job of staying focused on our task...beating Centre.
After the kick-around we checked into our hotel and then went to my parents house for our pregame meal. They so willingly invited 20 guys over for the meal, which I was so pleased they did. Much better then a restaurant meal. In addition, it allowed me to introduce the team to Allison and Bing Walter and Allie Walter. Allison and Bing are the parents of Elizabeth Walter whom our donations were being presented to Susan G. Komen in memory of. Elizabeth, as I have mentioned, passed away last winter of breast cancer and was a close family friend. Her daughter, Allie, was also there so I wanted the guys to meet the family members of Elizabeth. We took a team picture with Allie on my parents front porch. Allie is behind the plant in the middle of the picture.
In addition, I had a good friend come to speak to the boys about enjoying the entire experience of playing with close friends and having no regrets. Jason Kinser and I go way back and, despite being a Centre grad as well, was certainly cheering for the Roo's tonight. After the meal we headed to the hotel to change and then loaded up to head to campus. We warmed-up on another field and then headed down to the game field just prior to kick-off.
The game got started in a hurry, as Centre attacks and does so with numbers. They came right at us but, different then the previous night, we sorted out our assignments and handled it very well from the start. Senior Ryan Bielefeldt (San Antonio, TX) who has settled in at center back, did a great job of keeping things organized. His outside backs Frank Abene (Grapevine) and Grant Gibson (Clinton, MS) were sharp as well. It would be Austin College that would strike first as senior Austin Newman (Austin, TX) would take a through ball from Miles Vaughn (Grapevine) and chip an onrushing Centre goalkeeper to put AC up 1-0 14 minutes in. Centre would equalize just over ten minutes later and then go up 2-1 on a PK with less than a minute to play in the half. AC would go into the half down 2-1.
At the break, we made a few adjustments to what we wanted to do offensively and to what we needed to do to fix a few things defensively. From there, the boys went into the second half head on and came to play. Centre definitely had the better end of the attack, but we had some great opportunities and put them under at times. Still down 2-1 with 12 minutes to play, we began to push an extra attacker up top and for the last 5 minutes of the game, had Centre on their heels. Freshman Garrett Evans (Duncanville, TX) would take a feed from Senior John Martinez (Grapevine) and finish with just over 2 minutes to play for the equalizer. AC would continue to press to finish things out and the game would head to OT tied at 2-2.
At the break I told the boys that we were going to win or lose this game...we went going to pack things in. We stayed with three up top and wanted to go right at them. We did and moved the ball around very well the first part of OT. However 5 minutes in a scrum in our 18 would lead to a Centre goal that would end the game with AC on the losing end, 3-2. An extremely tough loss for all of us as we played with so much heart and emotion it hurt. Things haven't fallen our way this fall, but efforts like that make me so proud of these boys. It is this character and passion that was missing to start the season. We have it now, and we won't lose that. I promise.
On a final note, I have to discuss how the game played out. As a former Centre player and coach, it was extremely surreal at times to watch/coach the game from a vantage point I have never experienced. It was special to be back and I was extremely proud with how the boys have played over the past few weekends, and certainly on Saturday night. I'm pleased to be coaching at Austin College. Finally, it should be noted who scored Centre's game-winning goal. Robbie Crump is the son of Sue Hauck who's Centre's donations were present in memory of. Sue passed away in August and knowing Robbie for the past four years, and considering the events of the evening, if someone had to score a game-winning goal against us, I'm pleased it was him. Truly a storybook ending, and a night I won't ever forget.
Thanks for every one's support. We look to take on Rhodes and Hendrix this weekend, and finish the season on a high note.
