But that crash doesn't negate the beauty of the ride. And this ride ended on a night that belonged in a movie. As the rain got heavier, the student section got louder. When the odds weren't in their favor, the Panthers swung big.
I can't help but think back to my senior year and those Fridays in the fall. I would hop in my car and drive to the high school, blaring "Baba O'Riley" and screaming the line "Teenage Wasteland" while I parked outside the stadium.
Friday night, I experienced that feeling again.
During the final team breakdown, a player interrupted. He spoke on how this team was his family. I asked Coach Lewis Sims what that moment meant to him.
He broke down into tears before he choked the answer out.
"It makes all of this worth it."