On a wing and a prayer
Jack Atkinson

In the summer preparation began in earnest and team members ran and continued their routine weight training. What was ahead? The 2007 football season for E.C.I., a class A team which had last had a regional victory in 1923 when leather helmets were used, quietly got underway. I remember the near region victory in Perry in 1959 when O.L. Sikes, Franklin McMillian, Nick Johnson and many others took our team to the region playoff. Who would have guessed that 2007 was the year to make history?

Game after game the wins piled up. Few points were scored against the team. The first string seldom played much in the second half. If the game was close the stamina and training of the team showed through as the other side just wore out.

The saying "on a wing and a prayer" generally refers to something in poor condition, but just managing to get the job done. Nothing could be further from the reality of the 2007 E.C.I. football team. The team was in excellent condition and always got the job done well. The team did seem to be rising on the wings of angels and the coach made the point of the importance of prayer.

The momentum of excitement built all season, but the Dome game, semi-final, sent the community into a frenzy. There was the send off when hundreds of students and community supporters gathered along the roadways leading out of Twin City to express support for the team as they headed to Atlanta and a live televised semifinal game. I watched the game on T.V. enjoying the announcers who tried to be even handed in the broadcast, but obviously mesmerized by the exciting E.C.I. team.

The next week it was time to go to somewhere in southwest Georgia for the championship game. I did not want to be left behind this time. As the week slowly slipped by the game was moved to Cordele and thousands of us from Emanuel County plotted our ways to the stadium where over 9,000 people watched the Bulldogs strut. The send off was a bit muted but nevertheless was dramatic as the traffic sped to the field. We were in place perhaps two hours before the game began. I got a seat on a chartered bus where 50 happy people all got along very well. Amazingly the thousands of E.C.I. fans were well behaved (from arrival at Cordele) and humble enough to get back home without argument, fight or trouble along the way.

The warm up was the next phase. The long wait for the game was made tolerable by the extensive warm up the coaches had for the team. Rather than running out jumping and hooting, our team was well controlled and tempered. The main string had plain red jerseys, no numbers. Every team member was equal and the opponents would not so readily pick out their targets. Finally, the large cloth (reusable) banner was stood up and as the team went through, the Velcro split. The three letter flags fluttered on the field spelling E.C.I.

The game was the important event and it lived up to its billing. We were ahead all the way but there was always that mystery about what may happen on the next drive. "Ealy on the carry" the announcer repeated and it seemed to be the same reprise on every play. There were breaks in the streak and others got to carry and make the touchdowns. Ealy had several and the commentators numbered each one up to nearly 60 for the season. It was thrilling sit- ting in the end zone watching Ealy make a touchdown by crawling over the line, reminiscent of Hershel Walker's technique. Half time allowed for a lot of visiting, some snacks and the E.C.I. band which performed the James Brown skit. The game was close enough to make it be watched carefully until almost the very end. Finally, the clock ran out. We became State champions.

Next came the field celebration. No goal posts were disturbed. The coaches talked to the team. There was prayer and visiting with a football field full of support. The team dressed, ate pizza and was led back by at least a dozen escort vehicles with flashing blue lights, a victorious return caravan. Our bus waited as did many other vehicles. We had salutes through many of the little towns we passed on the way home. Upon arrival in Swainsboro dozens of fans were yelling and cheering around the courthouse square. In Twin City the fire truck blared its loud horns and there was a celebratory atmosphere among the hundreds who had waited until 2:30 in the morning. What a night!

The next morning it began raining, the drought seemed to be over. Prayers were answered.--Jack Atkinson is a guest columnist and resident of Garfield.

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