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EHHA L:{Tm;XD2$sJ90@QIϵ5%NNy)*_viGiVu0ďAL{eFIWKrIW[isѸ0E ®e2\{MԊ d $Uq'nAƢBB`U"zvZSԱiZNzu(=HLn21ƕpNPs׵ 91Z$K R=9 :i68㿽86ѐ [&q:V؆](' <1M'=B[ C@dqQL/zUrX&rJ.+R699?)h&n%Q*W^섒&=9C=3R[K 3aV,f㑆vRX.ȑd՛=!Y$Eρ\]ٵѬn^r=FsS7!f,pejTF!.T~Sg~X$0 r+CW,|W.(U8ʞ?_*H`Bp1{W:]+ڌG)}pwZ|oqI#8l$42 OBA@\դlF0# PWZr%6=#9+m\R:ҢfOzt' RKr)wg1\`uHGoz4HAJsڛ9~W=eg1T (8' ;`1DWЅX\fvbHD= #9sKTi fOV  uHȀVq*6h!HrKn eߊd_@4瓜/"n~U,gUiLG=? d.KD(ccI6~WMxy,r[E\S]ˈtLo!I}VPe_fZl j'\nD$t\-L)ݔЃYځ9$ <`YGoAy㞟ֲ"*t9.L' c\s.CmBhxjns!&ޟQh( (?ΣU#T6sh\H̋& o%ܮn Se@vSTo~ЏTg=ef&'B[Fe.-j(6 zthGP|QFm)c֡K)Ƨ+R}4A"KR{ 4e4Ҹ8U 3#*2OZ+N:qM/ֆ!8&~a)(\w/rICLZȽAFz &?9l[$2T7^2;Jb\TjIR#4O =\:zGqWK='TjwI\GGҬ\bi0OAZ^Wg /5[-TI9#ӊOx N@W?RccyO,؞ycHBAizuK޺bMj;v$r?殣2Ɂ5#Odi2Or:4W4+vr=WIiOmV.!2&捺ˊ{h:;WKz~f6H$b填IGR[}Ϣ1\)~WJu=J|^l~tZݥ9oAoܬ~Tn!=RU^QHpOTyCҫֽ6IgM>sP?Ju/tat~kx׋%g$;Q*K[97PId\$i̞Ywsߥ1M'8MRD֊b9'+X"]0 tFXc=i) )9y-}%,I =f>WrСnjFp?48ʜI8}5`1JORb[ۨ\za,Cc$;m/V|q [`oJ7JA=?;ds^Wsvvt?m41sZ |Ҷy -m|EmHV* `? =qӌ2G#{iմv%.e 6A9Mј$܄qu\^O"۩b9?vOmXI{Y̰ϕge ~bt9QO S6¯xn.IS5zlUc*^9c =N qU;VgKiu%dIpL d+'ηN1ڹ+caʸxx_LI v ; fݷ-Edz\4x C$ȓ* Jͤ1(Q9K~_JŠEb˗{\R[4a$Y>}I4(MU L&]yQoye"İq6*䕞BYHdBTu99zux_Ɗkl]]W隕gMr6534atPr|I'ȧ ˣeTgQ9q, ՠv4p5ޡwt2+Hp8$;FJ#';,w~!H~{_Hqe"r?>_`Ai}?Ax V"ȑ*sQY3`q)ȌHy9Z?OSl3:⦐7QqE8E.q=i RzP8Y m?Tp N}*PgOҋ<"tяVΦ f nsE, ]YA1knN2G9j APy?pvTr9kxrVeoO5Mn>O^=&OW^<ּofar4بP21M;#&gfxꁆcԲ\鋖l,;o,c[eձ6-/ A:[mew֑>RHoPMQ#cI5iJJ4}c1OLW1F3^-im Igךw8Z:Ks5Q؎i/ ʱh.1,@.}WV.?]E@$<:s@dJ~ m:[8"kE+zԏTUd~U+in4Eܦ:eX]C+e㿹_-gV #pQ$Þ4Js KF8W(j>j2\R=F&@ M Y*/Ҝ!cT9 H*@H@xE7+[+j!V(HCpبN:l L){{wm$FʱHwFpO\}zako)"Trc\#Dc3>t^(#&g1`}({ KV࿂y@W <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 the weight room.&nbsp; When we had Dr. Greg Shepard to Alaska to speak to our players, he asked us if we wanted to win.&nbsp; The question is a touchy one.&nbsp; We had lost the last two state championships each by 5 points.&nbsp; By the weight room door is a sign--#11.&nbsp; Dr. Shepard asked the team on a scale of one to ten, how hard do you think you hav4Х)nqy)y?+KVmR%RHZmF%~Nl`"Du;/K{X *"d0@D i&i@6/`Jߐ{f^ʴO/Az>|[qg(#fqapıfEX%<|Tpki}9YRvmQA|s6CRAr1@F=N"i%oN5I&û+m:fO߁AV'Χ5gMK *j6d76c8yCal(ݏAyB4%S^݂o]sJmECp"TkYJq-n"M{ޭ oUsT>Y̲Vb-y1 %r!隡0Fƣp 6dv\6A