Extraordinary Stories From An Ordinary Guy: The "It Wasn't To Be" Story

LDub taken by Camille

It was an ordinary day. Heading back from Baltimore with Carol and my son Derek and his wife Barb and grandson Caden. Spent the last couple of hours along Inner Harbor having supper and at the M&T Bank Stadium watching the 4A Maryland State Championship Football Game between Henry Wise High School and Quince Orchard High School. If you recognized the name Quince Orchard (QO) it's because I have written a few stories about them and their football coach, my son-in-law, Dave Mencarini, who is in his ninth year as the head coach at the school. Last year they played Old Mill High School for the state title and lost 36-35 in overtime when Old Mill ran for a two-point conversion to win the game. I'm sorry to report that the outcome isn't any different this year either. Wise defeated Dave's QO Cougars by a score of 12-7. Wise High School had only given up 6 touchdowns all year and had won each of it's 13 games by at least three touchdowns. One of the three playoff games they played they won by a 42-6 score. Holding the high scoring team to two touchdowns was a feat in itself. What made the loss even harder was the fact that QO lead for more than 20 minutes of the game. They gave up a touchdown to Wise on it's first possession of the game. Looked like it was going to be a long game, but the Cougars defense stepped it up a notch and played great until Wise scored with only 2 minutes and 14 seconds left in the game. Then QO took the ensuing kickoff and marched down the field. On a fourth down near the Wise 35 yard line, QO's quarterback completed a pass to the 13 yard line with less than a minute left. The receiver jumped off the turf and motioned first down with his arm. As soon as I saw that I said to my wife, "Boy was that a dumb move. That's gonna cost them 15 yards." Sure enough, the official threw the flag before I had the statement out of my mouth and penalized them for unsportsmanlike conduct, pushing them back to just about the original line of scrimmage. Not only that, it took the wind out of the sails of the team. Two plays later the quarterback threw an interception and the game was over. In the newspaper Dave was quoted as saving, "I'm very frustrated. Last year I was heartbroken. This year, I'm very frustrated because I felt like that was a game where we didn't play our best." Throughout the season Dave made sure his team remembered the feeling after coming up just short last December. Quince Orchard's student body was in full force for the game and held up signs urging the team, "Let's Finish Business," referring to the last second loss last year. I'm so sorry that they couldn't have had a different ending to their evening. For me, I got to see them win the title in 2007, so I know the feel of victory, but for this year's senior class it is only two year's of disappointment. Tough to handle when you're a teenager. You could see the frustration in the player's eyes and movements after the game. There were many tears shed in the stands near me. My daughter, Brynn, who was sitting in front of me, knows the hours and hours of preparation that Dave put into the season and now has suffered the same result as last. She was not only sorry for the loss but for the heartache that her husband feels again. Next year will come, probably not soon enough for Dave and the Cougars, but it will bring with it the hope of a state title again and a chance to travel to Baltimore on a cold, crisp late fall evening for a great time and maybe a championship. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - check out the photos from the game which follow.