High school football is a truly special thing, even when there are a myriad of difficult circumstances like those facing Hamilton football.
There are only so many times you get to put on pads and a helmet and take the field with your teammates.
Perhaps the challenges — like the driving wind and rain during Friday night’s game between Hamilton and Bolton, or the absence of 10 Hamilton coaches who were fired on Sept. 17 after an incident between team staff and the school’s athletic director — make the special moments that much sweeter.
Hamilton trying to find footing with new direction
The majority of Hamilton’s team has been absent from the program as a new staff lead by coach Antwone Moore tries to regroup a team in turmoil, with many who saw action Friday doing so for the first time.
For the 17 Hamilton players, of the original 45-man roster, that suited up for the team’s eventual 41-0 defeat, that sweet moment came on a 70-yard kickoff return by Cordarius Donald late in the first half.
Just moments after Bolton had scored a touchdown, lowered heads of the few on the benches rose. Voices from the sideline and those of the few, rain jacket-clad fans in the stands raised with excitement as Donald took each step further down the field.
For a few seconds, the team, and those watching, were reminded why the Wildcats chose to weather a storm brought on by Hurricane Helene on Friday night, and why they’re choosing to weather the storm facing their program.
Minutes later, though, a fumble — the third of the half for Hamilton.
It was that kind of night.
Upperclassmen settle team
A few standout plays separated the many moments that were evidence of inexperienced players who have been thrust into varsity action, of inexperience accumulated from lack of practices as players sort through the emotions of having their football world flipped upside down.
When players were unsure of where to align, the arms and fingers of senior teammates quickly flew outward to direct traffic. As Bolton players traversed backfield chaos, Wildcats players swarmed to the football.
As the fourth quarter clock ticked to zeroes, and players shuffled slowly to shake Bolton hands, one coach delivered perhaps the most important reminder.
“Y’all didn’t quit, remember that.”
Wendell Shepherd Jr. is the high school sports beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Wendell at wendell.shepherd@commercialappeal.com. Follow Wendell on X, formerly known as Twitter, @wendellsjr_.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: TSSAA football: How Hamilton weathered Hurricane Helene and program turmoil
