Print this story |
E-mail story |
This story has 5 comments Add your own |
iPod friendly | Bookmark this
What is this?
photo by Hannah Reel
Vidalia’s Caleb Vines looks to throw a pass during the game against Avoyelles last Friday night at Vidalia High School. The Vikings hit the road on Thursday to take on district opponent Buckeye.
Vidalia's loss to Buckeye last year still stings
Published Wednesday, September 30, 2009
VIDALIA — Vidalia High School is set to take on Buckeye High School Thursday, and Vikings head coach Dee Faircloth still has the memory of last year’s matchup against Buckeye fresh on his mind.
“We were up 20-0 with seven minutes to go in the game,” Faircloth said. “Then, fumbles (started to happen). We fumbled on six straight possessions.
“We fumbled (near the 7:00 mark), and they scored. Then they onsides kicked it, and we fumbled. They scored again, and were only down 20-14 (after that). On the next possession, we fumbled again. By the time it was done, we lost 26-20.
“In all my years, I’ve never seen anything like it. We snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.”
Part of what made the loss so bitter was the fact that Vidalia would have shared a district championship with Buckeye had it won the game, Faircloth said.
“If we had run just one positive play at the end of the game, we’d have been all right,” Faircloth said. “Just one. They were district champs last year, and if we won we’d have been co-champions.”
After Vidalia’s hard-fought game with Ferriday two weeks ago, the coaching staff hoped their team had finally turned the corner. However, last week’s 28-26 loss to Avoyelles showed it still has a lot of things to work on, Faircloth said.
“We just didn’t execute when we needed to,” Faircloth said. “People were not running routes, they were missing blocks, that sort of thing. If we had played them like we did Ferriday, we’d have won.”
Faircloth identified homecoming as a culprit in terms of distracting his players from where their minds needed to be.
“When I take over the world, the first thing I’m going to do is abolish all homecoming activities,” Faircloth said. “(Our players) were ready to go to the dance. They danced the night away. I could hear their feet tapping, and I live (on the other side of town).”
Faircloth said he hates homecoming, and gave an illustration of what he thought was going on in his players’ heads last Friday.
“I wonder if she’ll be wearing red or blue?” Faircloth said, doing what he felt was an accurate portrayal. “What, a play? We’re running a play?”
The distractions didn’t end with homecoming. Faircloth said several of his starting players missed Monday’s practice, although he wouldn’t release their names.
“Some guys wanted to take a day off,” Faircloth said. “I don’t know if I’m going to take them with me (to Buckeye) on Thursday.”
This week marked the first week of practice that Faircloth was able to stay the entire time for. For two weeks, he battled illness that left him unable to attend practice.
“I had prostate cancer three years ago, and my (PSA) count went back up recently,” Faircloth said. “I had to do radiation therapy, which left me weak.”
Faircloth complimented the work his assistants did in coaching Vidalia’s game against Ferriday, and in running practices last week.
“I thought they did a (heck) of a job,” Faircloth said. “They all played for me, so they know the drill.”
Faircloth said the Vikings would have to play error-free against Buckeye Friday if they wanted to win. He also called out his players to show better leadership on the field.
“We don’t have any leaders out there (right now),” Faircloth said. “You need some guys to get in the others’ faces and get them going.”
Comments
Posted by Johndeere06 (anonymous) on September 30, 2009 at 6:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
“We don’t have any leaders out there (right now),” Faircloth said. “You need some guys to get in the others’ faces and get them going.
You have to be kidding me right?! How about
some leaders on te coaching staff!! What a joke!
The sad thing is, is when Faircloth is gone,
someone that coaches just like him will take over and doomed for another 30+ yrs
“In all my years, I’ve never seen anything like it. We snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.”
I see it almost every game this yr so far!
“When I take over the world, the first thing I’m going to do is abolish all homecoming activities,” Faircloth said. “(Our players) were ready to go to the dance. They danced the night away. I could hear their feet tapping, and I live (on the other side of town).”
Are you kidding me again?! Blaming homecoming for the the poor performance of the team?! Come on, you guys agree with this?? Homecoming was more of a reason for us to win!!
and Vidalia will be doomed for another 30+ yrs!!
Posted by VIDALIA25 (anonymous) on September 30, 2009 at 9:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This is just plain nonsense to hear this guy talking like this, i'm a graduate of 88 from VHS, this guy is so unconcerning of his players that had i been a parent still living there i wouldn't dare let my kid play for him, this guy has coached there for over 40 years and has yet to win anything and has talked reckless like this when i was there, but only in a small town like Vidalia would they allow someone so unqualified to stay there and ruin some talented kids, i'm so dissappointed that noone ever questioned his leadership not only on the football field but also question his commitment to these young men that give their heart and soul for him and then once their elgibility is up he never gives them a second look, he is never concerned whether they plan to attend college or anything of that nature, this guy should have been gone long time ago, but again only in Vidalia can this foolishness go on
Posted by msbyrd34 (anonymous) on September 30, 2009 at 9:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Faircloth you will NEVER rule the world you can't even rule winning VHS a championship game!!!! And FYI losing on homecoming night two years in a row(that I know of) is VERY embarrassing!!!!!
Posted by bee (anonymous) on September 30, 2009 at 2:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
IT APPEARS TO ME THAT YOU FOLKS DO NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT FOOTBALL. WHERE WERE YOU WHEN FAIRCLOTH WAS 10 AND 0. HE IS THE SAME MAN NOW THAT HE WAS THEN. THESE BOYS APPEAR TO ME TO NOT CARE, TO NOT WANT TO WORK HARD, AND THEY COULD BE JUST A BIT LAZY--- THIS MAY NOT APPLY TO ALL OF THEM, BUT IT SURE DOES TO SOME OF THEM. A COACH CAN CALL THE PLAYS, THE DEFENSES, AND DIRECT PRACTICE, BUT HE CAN NOT CATCH A BALL, MAKE A BLOCK OR TACKLE, OR FIELD A PUNT. I THINK A LOT OF THESE BOYS WOULD RATHER PLAY VIDEO GAMES, OR PLAY BASEBALL IN THE SPRING, CAUSE YOU SURE DO NOT WORK AS HARD. FOOTBALL MORE THAN ANY OTHER SPORT REQUIRES A DESIRE TO PLAY TO BE GOOD AT IT, AND A COACH CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH TO GIVE A PLAYER THAT DESIRE. COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS AND COUNT YOURSELF LUCKY TO HAVE A MAN LIKE FAIRCLOTH. I SURE WISH MY SON COULD HAVE PLAYED FOR HIM.
Posted by Vidaliaresident (anonymous) on October 1, 2009 at 10:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I played under Faircloth for 4 years. I started 3 of those years with some very good talent on the field....... you want to win games in Vidalia and go deep in the playoffs then you need one thing....... an offense your opponent doesn't know as well as you do. The fact of the matter is Faircloth is a good coach, always has been however when 80% of the people in the stands (both sides) and 95% of the people on the field (again both sides) knows what play is coming and when it makes it difficult for the offense to move the ball. A typical Vidalia season has gone like this for years.......... Win 7 lose 3 barely make the playoffs and go home after round one. Things have to change at Vidalia and if a Faircloth clone is the next coach it will remain the same for years to come. As a guy, not a better one with kids, as a coach time has passed him by. I personally don't think Coach Faircloth has the energy let alone the supporting staff in his coaches to be successful. Time for a change: whether VHS is ready, whether he is ready, or whether we are ready is the question.
Post a comment (Terms of Use Policy)
(Requires free registration.)