On Nov. 15, tears poured down players’ faces as the 2024 football season ended with a 56-21 loss to the Paint Branch Panthers. A true exhibit of courage, determination and gratitude, the WJ football season was filled with highs, lows and everything in between.
Throughout the season, the team was able to battle adversity. The season started with a tough loss to B-CC, but the Wildcats were able to climb back and end up winning a playoff game. However, the bid for region champions was crushed by Paint Branch, beating the Wildcats for the second time this season.
The Wildcats did show improvements in the regional semi-finals rematch, tripling their points scored from 7 in the first matchup to 21 in the later game. It still wasn’t enough as the Wildcats lost their 6th game all year, finishing with a 5-6 record.
“We wish we could do better, go further in the playoffs,” senior WR Devin Markert said. “I’m still happy that the team was able to come together and beat some teams that we wanted to.”
Even in a season riddled with injuries and rough patches, the bright moments shined through as the Wildcats’ bond remained strong through the thick of it.
“I had a lot of fun, but it all went by so fast,” senior QB Carter Maury said. “I’m going to miss my teammates and having fun with them, making jokes.”
As the wheels of the school bus heading back towards WJ began to turn, the realization that many of these players would never touch a football field again came upon the team.
“It’s hard to come to terms with the fact that football doesn’t last forever,” Maury said. “I don’t know if I have fully come to terms with it, I’ve been playing football since I was 7-years-old so it’s a new phase in my life, not working for the next season.”
Many of these seniors have given all four years of their high school life to football. With the conclusion of this season, they have made their final impact on the WJ football program.
“I want to be remembered as a good teammate, someone you can come to and talk to,” Markert said. “Someone who was one of the best players on the field but also had good sportsmanship.”
The doors of the WJ football locker rooms have been closed for the season and the Friday nights lights have been turned off. With the season in the rearview mirror, the WJ community will have to wait until next year for the exciting nights in Wildcat Stadium.
Until that day comes, the football team will have to work hard in the offseason to return to their former glory.
“We want to become a more physical team, take offseason lifts more seriously,” junior linebacker Hank Amaditz said. “We need to invest more time into preparing, both physically and mentally.”
An unwanted ending to the season, the lack of a denouement for the players has left them unsatisfied.
“It’s hard to not get some fuel and motivation with a loss like that, going 0-2 against them this year,” Amaditz said. “If we have them scheduled next year, it’s going to be a hot matchup.”
With revenge on their mind, the current juniors will have to step up and take on bigger leadership roles next season.
“As a senior, you’re looked at differently upon the team so I just have to keep on improving as a leader,” junior QB Jake Forburger said. “I want to get that Congressional Cup back from B-CC.”
