As the clock hits zero, the varsity football players’ excitement can be seen from the stands. With smiles on their faces, they run around on the field congratulating each other. After dumping the water cooler on Head Coach Brown, the team huddles together to raise the trophy up in the cold air.

“When we were presented the trophy, I felt very proud because all of our hard work finally paid off,” offensive lineman Ryan Peschka said. “We are going to always be remembered.”

With a score of 48-31, the Varsity Football Team won the first district championship in school history at their game against the Summit Jaguars on Nov. 7.

“It was an all out war on both sides of the ball because we were both fighting for the title,” Peschka said. “Whenever (the team) goes into the game, we always expect to win. With the preparation beforehand – watching film (and) taking care of our injuries – we couldn’t be stopped by them.”

In order to improve, every week in practice the coaches focused on the fundamentals of the game, Brown said.

“(We) mentally prepared our young men each day for the adversity they would have to face on Friday night,” he said.

Defensive lineman Jonathan Acheampong said he contributed whatever the team needed at the time.

“If it meant coming in on third down and making a stop,” he said. “ If it meant holding up the blocks for the linebackers, so (they) can run free and make the tackle, I did it.”

When they beat the Ennis Lions for the first time, Peschka said that he knew it was the team he had always dreamed of having.

“We excelled offensively, defensively and on special teams,” he said. “We came into the game not ranked and as the underdog expected to get blown out by the number two team in the state, (but) we proved them all wrong.”

Acheampong said the team had a lot of chemistry from the start since they had been playing together for some time.

“(Most) of this team was from Coble,” he said. “When we were (there) we didn’t lose a game. We went 16-0 for two years.”

Brown said the championship title couldn’t have went to a more deserving team.

“The ability to coach a group of young men with the desire and skill to win at the highest level was very refreshing,” he said.

Peschka said that what separates this year’s team is their mindset.

“We put in the time and effort for success,” he said. “We held each other accountable to come to summer workouts, be at practice on time and make sure we’re studying and focused on the important things. Our mentality was in the right spot, and it showed out on the field.”

Overall, the team went 10-2 the entire season.

(I) kept encouraging them to reach their maximum potential,” Brown said. “They were able to put away personal goals to accomplish team goals first.”

The season ended in their third round of playoffs when they played Ennis a second time.

“We had a great (year) even though we fell short to a team we beat before,” Acheampong said. “We lost ourselves that game (and) let the shortcomings get to us. We outplayed ourselves.”

Peschka said that two things kept him motivated throughout the season.

“I wanted to accomplish big things to make my family proud and prove to everyone that (we) are the best team in the state,” he said.

Winning that trophy was a monumental moment for the team, Acheampong said.

“Nobody that has went to (this school) before gets to say they (are) district champs,” he said. “That goes to say we did something that nobody has ever done.”