Wildcat

Cats’ Lose in Semis

Friday, December 10, 2004 By Nima Abbassi

The football team’s season is over after a 48-12 loss to Southgate in the semifinals of the invitational playoffs. However, simply because the Wildcats failed to win the championship does not mean the season was a failure. On the contrary, the players and coaches aptly provided a team that all Uni students can speak of with admiration and reverence. What the Wildcats have managed to do this season is praiseworthy and gives students a new hope for what their team can accomplish next year. The Cats pounced on Southgate early and scored a touchdown on their first possession; junior Jason Robinson threw a 68-yard touchdown pass to senior Greg Walker. Unfortunately, Southgate didn’t look back after that, scoring 41 unanswered points and securing a victory as well as a spot in the invitational finals at the LA Coliseum. Senior Enous O’Neal scored a rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter before the game ended. And thus the Wildcats’ season ended, bringing to a close one of the best seasons of football that we have ever seen. Despite a rocky start to their season, with several key players suffering injuries, the Cats came together as a team and played well in league competition. Their gritty play earned them a spot in the invitational playoffs. Thanks to a lot of team ball and a few last minute victories, the Cats made it to the third round of the playoffs, only one win away from that big game in the Coliseum. “This year we had our ups and downs, but we came out on top,” said senior Terrell Patterson. “Hopefully, next year we’ll take the championship.” The Cats will keep most of their players from this year. Senior players like O’Neal, Patterson, Walker, Jarred Townson, Brian Chinke, Luis Flores, Ryan Ford, Kevin Germany, Joseph Poakwa, Terrell Smith, and Jonathan Pona will definitely be missed next year. But the team will be well equipped to handle a championship run next year. “We did great; the kids did a great job,” Head Coach E.C. Robinson reflected. “Last year we got to the second round of the playoffs; this year we got to the third round. We will get a lot of kids back next year, and we should have an excellent season next year.”