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PqRrU_b[GfW'렄ƯPWe`~ȑ() $?u:hx N 0}*CJE˥5&8bEii,?jz~%i֩c"Ix4|~x^ͪF$Er8{7oq{1VوײSt(.洈΋zs\wGT*ڎL ίМ|=9vu UZ,B=*F0kP #j:&dާGj, δ1b{U'[2(V G4kF+udr (PIhRNZK92)cd94CwCFPw-՞},K~}qXFsuX.ʅFvb"c ns ; dWEr4k.w7?h=kn<013ҴP6ѹQ8ˀێ; *C\]ۋQra`214Qk^: EE(HVf[k7 -`>asI麤jQLpJʇoufsĊsVgrjZ,O[ڈ,lfhX݂¹iRA"䍀>jo,@Y$7P{[jFv`x*tKDp['Pc;Yr{m#n3NHh6<2pA[,r7 YLHO|Ɂںz҈EGb&^K r**cI pGV `[߮l֖KⲖ[[S{IU#9KR-im-\2q[1n@}G5vA {sxe`T}h֙53NW4M%p&[[stCTd&9[8i H>{zACQwf(MvіU8$gMw]4m!hd\J9*{=H- 6:ƹψ9̻B]%X(xܹMH cC F;U*Cj(qSҴ31uS{="An8_eEUGVtِcp~u^6oG'\j7R5UdYH-<pByto.X2Շk2O idvs)s+$c9Nŏ 9]ou40j 33ߚ5Kedo is;w>5"ڲ4KVfx[2YU#Bb8J+5PD8韥(]JU;Iխ[䍲yx糐/f!@UG\&2MGTFf% %c=YF\f3N̷JrKw?(GHk Fhne6w} C)'a%;d`VtQfY&7,`:IGq*>N[@8,W8k2{-ݴ,>i′[s5+mFAMR((aB kۃ28ndvŽNeO)|5w1 {n0:Q\tާ}naU 3ӊD(v 4K E$ʶu#g |Bg.t fMVxLq0D~52I4=̍$sf-sޭ.#!۝b;Iݎ;H?ƾ{ݔs<ޞνTjE} YzNGGq6r8$s^0 !=0Wo縼eLJjǥ@#Z/ }ACЫ|O{%O2<3w?J0^Bz,LkjWqw$ \ҷG)"^m]7?gyC[8\iOWm.UdidPsYB+>T^_Nd(Jܖ3ڽ;N׃h!X3r*GΠv/yg~TJ kęLzS/;0hn%lgݴC^Q]ڥԗf8#<8ÿ"&:֯o$mQ<$7=Asz̢>HWiJ+:rtwmᑤP8msLLkԎs>G躂f3d/'XK#=k5vh攰-\l-dؽwHC׵s&ͯ[9?Z2jz(% @ tN S2 Bҳo[hȥMtTC +vjX\g,BϷHgB\Uƭ]~$!&: `mYXnrw;޵oؘ+_ӮT6T -|S{wdUBҜZ7kWN\F+&&qlXĥGzM+E澺A q_.-uƪ=s$.Y4ehў_-g~5[궑ZWPi>[lѼ*Xђi0?XվYYɖ)?OTnbFr ۽E ?CE% </P> <P>The next game was played on the astro turf in Anchorage.&nbsp; The opposite team had a new coach and was very optimistic.&nbsp; We beat them 28-0.&nbsp; When we stood next to them before the game I noticed that they were the same height as us but their jersey sleeves were half empty (not enough muscle).&nbsp; I took a second glance and saw that the entire team was too lean.&nbsp; As I turned to my players I said, "Boys, this is going to be a lesson in weight training."&nbsp; The game was not without event.&nbsp; Our running back, Yohance Humphrey, ran for over 200 yards but tore a corner off his medial meniscus.&nbsp; After being "scoped", he had to sit out for three weeks to heal.&nbsp; It seemed that God had a lesson to teach us.&nbsp; If we did not have a real sense of faith, we could have gone over to the dark side of despair.&nbsp; We had to keep our eye single to the glory of our goal.&nbsp; Now that we had lost 2 All-State players to injury, we had to decide how to use smoke and screens to hide our weaknesses.</P> <P>Our coaches convinced our players that they were going to have to pick up the slack.&nbsp; Our goals were team goals!&nbsp; So we prepared for the team that was third place in our conference.&nbsp; We did not allow them to cross the 50-yard line the entire second half of the game.&nbsp; The first series of offense we lost our All-State offensive tackle to a knee sprain.&nbsp; We did not skip a beat!&nbsp; We put in our second string offense tackle and he did a great job!&nbsp; Our kicker just kicked a 40-yard field goal to go ahead with 50 seconds left.&nbsp; Somehow, they managed to drive the ball down to our 23-yard line.&nbsp; With time running out while signaling for a time out, time expired.&nbsp; The place erupted with kids jumping all around.&nbsp; But the referees put one second on the clock, saying West High did call a time out before the clock read 00:00.&nbsp; With that second on the clock, they kicked a 23-yard field goal to win the game.&nbsp; Another test for the Mustangs.&nbsp; The only thing I could tell my team was God had something in mind for us. </P> <P>Now we had lost three All-State players but we shut out the next team by rushing for 268-yards using 10 different backs.&nbsp; Even though we had some key players out, due to injuries, the team improved and continued to win.&nbsp; Our All-American running back had four carries for 76-yards, but was still limping.</P> <P>The play-offs started with a few of our hurt players coming off injured reserve.&nbsp; Star running back, Yohance Humphrey and All-State player Roger Patterson had recovered from knee injuries and joined a team that won two games without them.&nbsp; Our experience really paid off this year.&nbsp; Before, it seemed like we were asking people to give blood at the hospital.&nbsp; We kept getting better through the play-offs, even winning in a snow storm.&nbsp; But it was not over yet.&nbsp; The Semi-final game also came down to the wire.&nbsp; Our running back ran for 311 yards and looked like he was about 90% in comparison with his usual game performance.</P> <P>The state championship game came down to the two best teams; champs and runners-up from last year's performance, Chugiak's Mustangs and Palmer's Moose.&nbsp; Each team had two great backs, two excellent quarterbacks and each offense accustomed to getting its way on the field.&nbsp; The defenses on each team were loaded with talented players.&nbsp; Each team had healed from earlier injuries.&nbsp; The team who wanted it the most and who had prepared the best and the hardest during the year would walk away with the trophy and title of state champions.&nbsp; There was never any doubt that we wanted to do everything in our power to win.&nbsp; We believe that first you must win in t