2012 Raiders Take Their Final Bow

Members of the Raider football team woke up on an early beautiful Thanksgiving morning to attend the traditional team breakfast at the Marine Corps Hall on Mt. Auburn Street. As they stuffed their faces with delicious pancakes, eggs, and bacon, they were also preparing themselves for the big game mentally. The players socialized with one another, as they realized that this would be the last team gathering for the seniors.

After finishing their breakfast, players arrived at the locker room to put on their pads and get ready for the game. As the room was filled up with the words of multiple pump up rap/rock songs, the players sat in front of their lockers and thought of the last obstacle and goal they had to achieve:  winning that Thanksgiving Day game.  Coach Cacace entered the room, and the music immediately ceased; he talked about the game plan for the big day.  At the Raiders’ pre-game at Victory Field, players stretched out on the field, cars beeped and fans cheered them on as they passed. After the pre-game ended, players and coaches started to pack up their equipment and head to the busses.

Immediately after Coach Cacace checked to see if everyone had all of their proper equipment and knew everyone got on the bus, he gave the signal to the policeman in front of them. The cop gave the Raiders a police escort to the game. As the Raiders were about to arrive to the Marauders’ field, the cops turned on their sirens. All the Belmont and Watertown fans that were walking to the game stopped and stared at their bus

Upon arrival, the Raiders got off the bus and entered the field in front of a large group of excited Belmont and Watertown fans; they marched two by two onto the field right through the Marauders Cheerleading squad. Right after honoring a loyal Belmont fan, the Raider captains, Logan Riley, Patrick Lally, and Joey Farrar walked to midfield for the game’s coin toss. The Raiders won the toss and elected to receive.

The Marauders quickly took the momentum away from the Raiders, as they forced a three and out and then quickly followed that defensive stop with a touchdown made by the Marauders’ running back, Max Jones. This was a familiar feeling for the Raider fans. The curse of the Thanksgiving game was looking to become true once again when suddenly the Raiders quickly answered by a huge punt return, and then a few plays later, a Watertown touchdown made by senior running back, Logan Riley. The fans, known as the Raider Nation, went crazy as they cheered on their team who quickly quieted the Marauders with a touchdown.

With the momentum now shifted in their hands, the Raiders stopped the Marauders on a fourth down as Belmont tried to run a fake punt play, but the Raiders were not fooled so easily. After stopping them on fourth down, the Raiders added seven more points to the score after quarterback Joey Farrar ran in for the touchdown. Watertown went into the half up 14-7.

While in the locker room, players talked to one another saying that they had to finish the game and not to let up on the Marauders. The Raiders knew the Marauders were going to come at them full force in the second half and that Watertown had to deliver the final knockout punch to Belmont. Belmont received the ball in the second half but the Raiders shut them down, which remained a common pattern for the rest of the game. Watertown dominated for the rest of the game and scored two more touchdowns, made by Logan Riley and junior wide receiver TJ Hairston to make the final score 28-7. Watertown’s defense stopped the Marauders offense which was mostly made up of run plays, the Raiders’ offense lead by quarterback Joey Farrar and running back Logan Riley dominated Belmont’s outstanding defense with the help of Watertown’s line, which had a great game. And lastly kicker Erik Antonellis went 4 for 4 on extra-point kicks. Not only was this a huge streak-snapping win for the Raiders, but it also gave them a winning season as they ended the season with a record of 6-5.

After the players all joined together at the 50-yard line jumping up in joy and happiness, Coach Cacace gathered the team together and they talked about how good the feeling was. Everything they worked for, every tire flipped in the battle stations at practice, every bit of loyalty, compassion and determination that each and every player showed during the season finally paid off as they did something that hasn’t been done in seven years.

As the bus drove back to Watertown, players stuck their heads out cheering as loud as they ever had and sticking out their pointer fingers feeling like a million dollars. As they entered their locker room, the room was filled once again with music, but this time it was in a foreign language. Players and coaches performed the dance popularly known as Gangnam Style as they all listened to a Korean man in a tuxedo and glasses sing. Coach Cacace and players reflected on the game and the season and said their final goodbyes to the seniors.

Even though some seniors will never play football ever again, this goodbye was a positive one. They left the sport of football knowing that they made history. In less than five to six hours, history was made, and for the Raider fans, it was a big deal but for the players of the team, it was one of the best moments they had at Watertown High. Although this specific game will be forgotten as the rivalry continues in years to come, for the seniors of 2013, this game was a final goodbye, a final statement that the 2012-2013 Raider football team was the real deal.