Football Finishes Strong
Football team in their final game against Kenai
November 20, 2020
Football is a tough sport. There is constant bashing and hitting; there are many plays to remember; and there are rigorous rules. In addition to all this, the 2020 football campaign presented new challenges for the Seward Seahawks to endure and overcome. With COVID and a lack of numbers, first-year Coach Beck said, “it seem[ed] as if everything was stacked against us practicing, let alone playing games” this year.
On September 18th, the Seahawks faced off against the Nikiski Bulldogs. Seward was looking to bounce back from their loss against Homer in their first game of the season. The Seahawks scored their only touchdown in the first half when Jordan Sewell snapped the ball to Tommy Cronin in the pocket. Tommy surveyed the field and saw Elmo Lackey open in the end zone and launched a pass; the ball soared over the outstretched hand of a Nikisi player right into Elmo’s arms. The Seahawks followed with a two point conversion.
The second half was rough for the Seahawks. They only had one sub, while the Bulldogs had over ten. Fatigue set in for Seward’s overworked players, and Nikiski quickly ran away with the game. The final score was 39-8. “Our biggest weakness was numbers,” said Coach Beck after the game.
After the Nikiski game, the Seahawks had several straight weeks of practice with no games thanks to COVID-19 cancellations. According to Coach Beck, they used this time to break their bad habits, gain general football knowledge, work on their new offensive and defensive schemes, develop a winning mindset, and build up their team unity. Day in and day out, the Seward football team came to practice, worked hard and improved.
Part of the mindset the team had all year was to play every game like it was their last. This mentality is a good one to have any year, but this season it was especially important with the constant threat of last-minute cancellations.
All of the hard work paid off in their final game against Kenai. The game was at home, and it was a typical Seward day–pouring rain. The Seahawks and the Kardinals slipped around in the swamp that is our football field. Because Seward is used to playing in these conditions, it served them well. They crushed Kenai 66-0 in a very satisfying finish to the atypical season.
“I wish the season would’ve been longer, but I’m glad I could win my last game at home,” said Senior Collin Mullaly, who had three touchdowns in the game.
Several Seahawks were recognized for their hard work and outstanding play throughout the season. Tommy Cronin, Elmo Lackey, and Marcus Lastimosa were awarded First Team All-Peninsula, and Collin Mullaly, Jordan Sewell, and Dylan Marcus achieved Second Team All-Peninsula.
Coach Beck plans to return next year. He looks forward to building on the changes he made to the culture and mentality of the team, while having a “positive impact on the program’s future.”
