On Nov. 1, 2024, the Emerson Varsity football team secured their spot in the playoffs with an impressive 63-7 points win against Independence High School. The team will face Argyle High School on the rivaling team’s home field on Friday, Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. at Argyle Eagle Stadium. Students are encouraged to come out and support by wearing white to show their school spirit.
For some players, making the playoffs has become a regular part of their journey with the team.
“I’ve been a varsity starter since my sophomore year, so this is my third time making the playoffs,” middle linebacker Agape Lawrence, 12, said. “It feels great to have made it again, but like Coach Miller says, we’re grateful to be where we are, but we shouldn’t just be grateful; we should expect to make the state championships.”
For others, this season has become a new milestone in their football careers.
“I’ve always been on practice squads and helped other teams make it to the playoffs,” D-line starter Brandon Clemens, 11, said. “But this year, I’m starting on varsity. It’s my first time actually playing in the playoffs, and it’s really exciting.”
Making it to the playoffs isn’t exactly a new feat for the team, so maintaining a high standard of performance has been a major priority.
“After already making playoffs for the past two years, we’ve set a standard for ourselves as a team,” senior linebacker Nate Leal said. “To make it again this year, it doesn’t feel like we’re doing anything special; we’re just doing our job.”
Argyle is the number one team in their district, beating them will not be an easy hurdle to leap. The Mavericks have been preparing with precision and unity for this matchup. “Argyle is a great team, they’re number one in their district, and we’ve never beat them before,” Leal said. “But we can’t let that deter us. We’re just going to treat them like any other team and secure the win.”
The team has taken various measures to fine-tune their connection as a team as well as their strategy on the playing field.
“We’re watching and studying a lot of film of professional football games,” Clemens said. “We’re doing a lot of extra reps and practice too-starting earlier in the morning so that we have a lot of time to work on things we need to fix. Coach also has us doing a lot of team exercises to ensure that we’re all really close and willing to coordinate together.”
Team cohesion has been stressed as the most imperative factor in order to maintain a successful season. “I feel like no team can stop us if we’re all working together as one,” Lawrence said. “Even if we have a bad moment, if we work together to push through, then nothing can stop us.”
As a result, communication is key to surviving the intense away game environment.
“Communication on the field is something we’re really focusing on in practice,” Clemens said. “Especially because our next game against Argyle is going to be on their home field, it’s going to be an entirely different environment that we need to be prepared to navigate.”
With such an impressive win against Melissa under the team’s belt, the team demonstrated a key turning point in this season of football as well as their abilities as a team.
“Our win against Melissa was a huge deal,” Lawrence said. “If we lost that game, we would have had no chance at making the playoffs.”
“A lot of people thought our season was over after losing two games, but we turned it around and won,” Clemens said. “If we didn’t beat Melissa, then any chance at playoffs was done. It was a great win as a team, and we really showed how we’re able to overcome the challenge of defeat and pick ourselves back up.”
The team wouldn’t be where it is without the guidance of the coaching staff playing a fundamental role through navigating the season’s challenges.
“Coach Millier is the type of guy who doesn’t care about what’s going on outside of the football program,” Lawrence said. “As long as his team is okay and working together, then he believes in us that everything is going to go well.”
“Coach Miller and Coach Ellis play an important role in getting us ready, giving us calls, and also just being there for us in general,” Clemens said. “Knowing that they’re here for us really helps us to stay motivated and united as a team.”
The coaches aren’t the only standout roles in the success of the team, however. Certain players are especially important to the creation of a great team.
“I’d say our team leaders are really important, but one that stands out to me is Agape. He’s really the heart of not just the defense, but also our team,” Clemens said. “I think everyone can agree we all really depend on him.”
Every player makes important contributions to keep the team strong.
“We need every single person on our team,” Leal said. “From the starters to our backups, to even the JV kids that help us during our warmups, our team works as a unit rather than just a few individual forces.”
The Emerson football team heads into their next game with confidence, unity and ready to take on whatever challenges come their way as they begin their playoff journey. Facing the number one team in the district won’t be an easy feat, however the Mavericks have a team built on foundations such as pure grit, determination and brotherhood. Through every setback, they’ve only learned from their mistakes and grew stronger as a team, pushing each other to rise to the occasion. With their sights set on Friday night’s clash against Argyle, they’re prepared to prove they belong among the best.