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The Night My Life Flashed
Before My Eyes
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Coach Reason's "story brings to mind a similar situation in my tenure with Chuck." As Joe alludes, the offense was Chuck's baby...his sacred ground where no other man, beast or assistant coach dare tread."
In the opener of the 1975 season, we were at French Field in Kent playing the Kent-Meridian Royals." They were a pretty formidable side in those days, and heck, you never quite knew what to expect in the season lid-lifter.
Behind the smooth and powerful running of David "Scooter"
Joiner and some solid defense, the Wildcats had forged a one score first-half lead in this very physical contest.
KM had a huge right defensive"tackle named Sharkey who stood about 6' 3" and tipped the scales at 265 lbs." He was a load and"created"havoc"for"offensive left most of the evening."
I felt (and still feel, Chuck,""that it was a good call) that a screen pass would negate a fierce Royals rush from our left, so I had the temerity to suggest to Chuck that we call "T...Flanker right...screen left."
I will speculate no further than what you are about to read as to why the "perfect play" was botched." Either "Sharkey took a play off, or our QB, who will not be named here to protect the innocent, was so in shock that we called any type of pass, horribly under-threw the ball and the wounded-duck settled nicely into the outstretched hands of the big KM DT who waddled 60-plus yards for the score."
The roar of the partisans told me that my worst nightmare had materialized." I didn't see the score, for I went into an immediate evasion mode and spent most of the second half distancing myself from my mentor."
Luckily our guys bailed me out and scored again to give the Blue and Gold a slim margin of victory in this very memorable game."
Well, let's simply say that "I learned a very valuable lesson that evening." Don't try and tread on sacred ground." At least when Reason's made his bold move, he was smart enough to call a running play.
Lane C Dowell...West High football assistant
