Just like that, it's gone

It's a funny thing about destiny, just when you think you have the opportunity to control it- it controls you.
Montville has dealt with the agony of defeat before, a one-point loss on the last play of a game against New London is as perfect an example as you can have.
That New London loss, however, may pale in comparison to the one that the Indians suffered Wednesday night at St. Bernard.
All the Indians had to do was win and a Class SS state playoff berth was theirs, now they have to hope that something they haven't had too much of all season, luck is on their side.
Montville's 14-12 loss to St. Bernard means the Indians can only get into the state playoffs with a Holy Cross win over Wolcott on Thursday. Everyone on the Montville team inclined to do so should probably be getting out their prayer beads about now.
Everyone will ask the same question; How did St. Bernard pull it off?
The answer is rather simple actually, the Saints executed when they had to.
Down by two touchdowns, Jordan Rando dived towards the end zone and the ball popped loose. There was defensive lineman Lucas Bowman to scoop it up and made it a one-touchdown game.
When Montville had to gain just a foot for a first down with one minute to play, there was Bowman to stuff Tyler Girard-Floyd and give the ball back to the Saints.
When there were 38 seconds left to play, there was Ryan Brahm,broken hand and all, pump faking the defender into falling down and lofting a 27-yard pass to Sean Kydd for the game-winning score.
Unfortunately, I wish the rest of the story was just as good. That there were handshakes and wellwishes afterwards between teams.
Instead, school officials and law enforcement had to intervene to not only keep the two sides apart, but to keep Montville players and some of its own parents apart. It was a scene that I hated witnessing, especially on Thanksgiving Eve.
So as we move on to Thanksgiving Day high school football, let's all remember one thing, it's high school football not the Super Bowl.