SPRINGHILL – It was the game that North Webster wanted when they began their 2015 campaign, but even before the game started, things just didn’t go the Knights’ way.
Amite had knocked North Webster out of the Class 3A playoffs for two straight seasons entering Friday night’s game. After a valiant effort from the Knights and their star running back Devin White, it wasn’t meant to be, as Amite made it three straight with a 45-42 win over North Webster.
It was the second punch to the gut for North Webster and the Springhill community Friday, as earlier in the day their two brightest stars, White and fellow senior linebacker Ke’Untra Gipson were arrested on sex-related charges.
Both players took the field for North Webster, but there’s no telling whether the distractions had any outcome on the game.
“It was very painful,” Ware said of the loss. “I’m not going to say too much about that situation. I don’t know much about it, so I’m not going to say much about it. I know our guys played and played hard. That’s a lot to deal with and out guys handled it very well.”
The Knights stormed back from a two-touchdown deficit twice in the game to actually take the lead with just over a minute to play.
That’s when Amite broke the hearts of Knights’ fans for the third straight year, driving the field and scoring the game-winning touchdown.
“In all my years of coaching that’s the most devastated football team I’ve ever been a part of,” Ware said. “They laid it on the line. I’m proud of these kids and the fight they showed all year. These seniors won 35 games in their time here. To get where we’ve gotten to is pretty phenomenal.”
The Knights wrap up the 2015 season with a record of 9-3 as district 1-3A champions.