I Just Want It All — Jalen Walton's Path

[beast10]

Hey this is my new dynasty. I will be following my character Jalen Walton and his career in high school starting as a freshman. I probably don't have time for this but I just wanted to write something on here because it's been awhile. I hope you all enjoy.

Update coming soon.

[beast10]

I Just Want It All — Jalen Walton's Path

Football Jalen Walton


Position: WR, CB, QB, Former RB
School: Andrean High School (Freshman Year), Bishop Gorman
Height: 6'0
Weight: 155
Class: 2018


College Interest: Profile viewed by 5 college coaches.
Awards:




Basketball Jalen Walton


Position: Point Guard
School: Bishop Gorman
Height: 6'0
Weight: 155
Class: 2018


College Interest: None
Awards:

[beast10]

I Just Want It All — Jalen Walton's Path

October 23rd, 2014


"COME ON THIS IS 8-0 BABY!" I break silence within the middle of halftime in our last game of the freshman season. We're down 28-8 and our team had seemed to lose all hope and belief. "THIS IS NOT HOW WE'RE ENDING OUR ****ING SEASON. WE BUSTED OUR *** EVERY PRACTICE AND WE'RE NOT ENDING AN UNDEFEATED SEASON NOW. LETS GO, WE'RE BETTER THAN THEM!"

Mixed emotions flew throughout the team as all eyes had been on me. Some looking at me as if I was insane and others getting up and building the momentum along with me. Then coach who gave a similar speech when the second quarter ended starts, "You see this is what we need, Walton is right. You guys need to play with some heart out there because quite frankly, half of you all don't deserve to represent Andrean on your jersey, not because of this score but because of this emotion. Start playing like you guys want to win tonight … Go get stretched." Head Coach Reed concludes in a low voice that definitely got his point out. We dashed off to the field and went through our series of stretches as the time dissolved and before we knew it we were receiving on the kickoff.

I stood on the sideline observing as the ball was kicked to the right that led right into the hands of Drake Graham who took off but was hammered at around the 35 after half of Griffith's team were there to make the tackle.
"ARE WE GONNA HIT ANYBODY? Bears offense get out there." Coach exclaims and I stand aside for the play call so I can go tell the huddle.

"Alright, veer left, on two. Get these guys going Walton, I'm depending on you."

I nod and run out to the huddle and announce the play then line up on the 35. "GOLD GOLD, DOWN, SET, HIKE. HIKE" The snap lands right in my hands and I fly towards the the left side of the field along with Noah, the defensive end meets me right at that point and I quickly pitch the ball back to Noah. I get blasted but get up to see Noah flying down the field before he gets slowed down and tackled by the safety and some trailing players.

"Number 22 run is good for a thirty yard gain for the Andrean 59ers. Good for a first down, ball on the 45." The PA says.

I jog back over to the sideline to get a play call. "Good decision Walton, go reverse pitch on one. Sell that pitch."

"I'm on it coach." I dash out to the field and get in front of the huddle, "Alright we're going reverse pitch, on one. Nick run this **** hard, let's get a touchdown."

I line up over Adam at the line of scrimmage, "RED, RED, DOWN SET HIKE." Ball in my hands, a fake handoff to Noah then the real thing to Nick. He blew by the slow reacting defensive end but was smacked by a linebacker at the 40.

"YEAH!" The linebacker roared over him. "THIS IS WHAT I DO!"

I took a deep breath and then I was headed to coach. He gave me a score purpose pass play, I reported to the team and off to the line we went. Everybody had a fade but I glanced at Jacob, our top receiver who I intended to pass to. "GOLD GOLD, DOWN SET, HIKE! HIKE!"

I thought in my head 1, 2, 3, gone, that's what coach told me to do. I threw the ball that spiraled through the air to the right side of the field where Jacob ran underneath. It's a touchdown, I thought.

And a catch. "LETS GO!" I begin to go insane in the backfield but come into realization that it's still only 28-15. We go for the two point conversion with Nick going in for a screen pass, it worked as usual and now the score was 28-17. A winnable ballgame with 5:48 remaining in the third.

And from there that ballgame got intense on both sides. Griffith wanted to beat us more than ever imagined, they played dirty and continued to light us up on run plays. On the sidelines the team and I tried to keep our defense fired up but these guys were pure speed and strength.

Eventually they had drove the ball all the up the field in order to earn a 1st at goal. The quarterback gave a quick handoff to the back who tried to hit a hole that was filled by our middle linebacker Ronnie Shaw who delivered one of the hardest hits of the game. All of a sudden we noticed the ball had gotten popped out the carrier's procession, "BALLLLL!" We simultaneously yelled and then it became an all out war on the field when it's discovered as they piled over the ball.

The refs go in to investigate, then … Our ball! We go ballistic and get our offense onto the field as I standby awaiting the play. It's triple option. I get everybody on the same page and then it's game time. I call on one and then the pigskin is mine. I fake it to Nick and I'm out. Running through a huge hole in the middle and I see nothing but a safety, I switch direction then, nothing but green.

"GOOO, GO JALEN, GO!" I hear my dad in the bleachers and the team yelling at the top of their lungs on the sidelines.

70...60...50...40...30...20...10...HOLY ****! I looked behind me at the defenders throwing their arms. I was in awe of my own action.

"Jalen Walton's turns in a 95 yard gain for a touchdown." We line up for the two point conversion, dive right for Noah. "HIKE!" I hand it off and he drives into the small hole where he is piled up on. The ref takes a good look and confirms the score. Just like that, a heartless team at halftime had the score at 28-26 in the fourth but time was ticking with only 4:58.

-------------------------------------------

I wanted that undefeated season more than anything in the world, we failed and despite the fact that I had a good game I believed I failed myself.

After highfiving Griffith we all take a knee at the sideline facing our coaches. I look over at their side and glare at them jumping all over the place then I look back at coach as he begins his speech.

"You guys, you guys deserved to win that. We started off slow but we busted out the gate in that second half. I can't be upset with you guys, but I can't be happy either. This was it, this was our so called championship … They came for a game and we came late. I mean I don't know why we chose to do that in the last game of the season but it's irreversible now, 7-1, that's final. We could've made that 8-0 easily."

"Yeah, coach Reed said it well," Our defensive coach Farlane begins. "We came close but that shouldn't have even been the situation, we should've ran them over all game. I can't tell you guys you didn't have a good season though."

Then finally our linemen coach, "Like they said, it was ours. We made some big plays in the fourth then made some mistakes … They happen. Just hate to see you guys not be able to finish the season out 8-0. But like coach Farlane says, you guys had hell of a season and each one of you have a bright future."

Coach Reed picks up, "Alright, let's get our prayer and get out of here." We started our Hail Mary then gathered our stuff and took the walk of shame towards the bus.

[beast10]

I Just Want It All — Jalen Walton's Path

October 24th, 2014


A day after the loss I was real cranky when I woke up considering I got back home at around nine and was clogged with study material in preparation for Friday's tests. I tried to sneak a couple of extra minutes of sleep but I eventually got up because I knew those minutes would turn into an unnoticed hour.

"Morning mom, dad." I walk past their room as I head to the bathroom to take a quick shower. Once I'm out I change into my uniform, hit the kitchen where my food is already made and off to school I go.

"Tough loss yesterday, you didn't say much in the car." Mom says as she drives me to school. "You okay now?"

"I just don't like losing …" I wasn't really thinking of the game anymore but she'd brought it back up and now I was angered by it again. It took about thirty minutes to drive to this school and the remainder of it was in near silence until we pulled up to the door entrance.

"So I pick you up at 6:30 for now on, right?"

"Yeah." It was for varsity, I had been called up for their playoff run that would be starting tomorrow. I would practice with them and receive a varsity jersey but it was unquestionably known I wouldn't play, neither would the other 6 freshman that got called up with me. "See you later." I say as I open the car door and enter the building.

While I walk past, I see Tony Reeves standing around as if he was waiting for someone. Tony was a 6'3 linebacker, top in the state actually. He was headed to Penn State after he graduated this year. Everybody admired him. All of a sudden my path is stopped when he speaks, "Hey Jalen. I heard about the lost last night, don't worry bout it bro, you on our roster now right?"

"Yeah."

"Cool, we gonna get ours regardless, you'll have that ring your freshman year but when we're gone this team is yours and you better keep what we have going. You got that?"

"Yeah, you already know what's up Tony. I'm ready to eat next year. I want my revenge."

"You got this bro, I saw that 90 yard touchdown on Instagram too, you got this." He says before he becomes accompanied by plenty of the football team including Cody Matthis, Terrance Doyle, and David Fowler. Three guys I'd also be playing with.

I walk off and lead into my academic day and before I knew it that was over and it was time to hit the field, only this time as a member of varsity.

-------------------------------------------

"Alright we gotta welcome the freshman to this team," Reeves says in the huddle after stretches. "They're gonna be with us til we win state again, so let's get it. Tomorrow is where it all starts, sectionals and mainly, our path to state, let's get a great practice today. Niners on three; 1, 2, 3."

"Niners!" We all shouted and split to our position coaches. I stuck around on the side field along with the quarterbacks, coached by Coach Paling and led by varsity stud David Fowler.

"Alright you all know the drill, get your arms fired up then we're going to head over with the receivers and get some reps." Paling says. We get aligned and start working with dropping back following with a throw. Back when I was with the freshman team we usually practiced offensive individuals with varsity but now that it was only seven of us out here I felt somewhat out of place.

Coach blew his whistle signaling a break, we formed a small huddle amongst us QBs before Fowler led, "Power and accuracy on three; 1, 2, 3."

"Power and accuracy!" We say as we jog out over to the receivers on the practice field.

"Run spread left, 330." Coach Rice announces, the outside and slot line up on the left while on the right the line began with Mark Hegan, he was short at around 5'6 but his speed and catching ability really made up for it.

"Set hut." I say and the ball issnapped from a knee. I take a quick drop back and release the ball to Hegan who runs a quick post. And damn was it off.

"Come on freshman, this is nothing new. Throw the damn ball in my hands." He came over to snap before getting back in line. This time the ball went straight into the hands of Kasey Witherspoon.

-------------------------------------------

"WHAT THE, JALEN DO YOU WANT TO PLAY FOOTBALL. CAN YOU SEE OUT THAT DAMN HELMET?"

The only reason I questioned wether or not I wanted to finish the season out with varsity is because head coach Rice was insane. But at the same time he had every right to go off on me. I'd just passed the ball to Jacob who was covered by at least three defenders. It resulted in a collision as well as a drop ball.

"Come on Jalen, you didn't f*** up like this on freshman." Our runningback Terrance Doyle says to me. "This is nothing but bigger players. Do what you do, no pressure."

"Thanks, I don't know why I'm playing like this …"

The practice eventually ended after about three hours of hard work and one of the most intense conditioning sessions I've ever been apart of. I met up with some of my freshmen teammates afterwards.

"You sucked out there." Jacob says while looking right at me.

"Woah," I say out of surprise. "I know you don't like me and all but you better respect me. And if you're talking about the drop, that's your fault, you ran a post right into Reeves like a f***ing dumba**."

Jacob was around 6'4, a primary basketball athlete but his skill on the field made coach Rice want him on varsity more than any of the other seven of us, he'd be the one with the highest chance of playing. We didn't like each other because I apparently asked the girl he intended to go to homecoming with and she said yes. Now ever since that he'd been talking behind my back and what not.

"Oh yeah? A dumba**? If I ran the route wrong then why would you pass it to me? Now how do you sound? You've got three receivers on the field, if anything, you're the dumba**."

At this point I wanted to punch the **** out of him but I refrained when Ronnie stepped up. "Hey chill out, both of you. It's football practice not a game. And even it was a game, we're a team."

Sectionals were tomorrow and we were hosting Knox, a 3-6 football team who we were destine to destroy.

[beast10]

I Just Want It All — Jalen Walton's Path

Class 3A Sectional 25 | NO. 1 Andean 56, Knox 3

Indiana 3A High School Football Playoffs: SECTIONALS — Andrean (9-0) Pounds Knox (3-6)

ANDREAN — Andrean senior quarterback David Fowler threw for 222 yards and three touchdowns in a sectionals game against a below .500 Knox team.

"Everything was clicking out there," Andrean coach Dan Rice said after the game. "We kept it simple and everything worked out just fine for us."

The run game played an absurd role in the blowout for the 59ers as well. Halfback Terrance Doyle shredded the Knox defense with 229 rushing yards on 28 carries for a complete total of 3 touchdowns while Trevor Lucas added 110 yards on 9.2 yards per carry (12 carries).

"I took what their defense gave me all night." Doyle said afterwards. "It felt real good too, can't wait for the semis next week!"

After awhile the Niners shifted gears into a mainly spread pass offense. Fowler aired it out to Kasey Witherspoon who took it in for a touchdown and pushed the score up to 28-3 late in the second.

Slot receiver Mark Hegan took in some big gains as well as he tallied up 120 receiving yards. While he wasn't able to turn in a touchdown throughout the night, receivers Alex Truman and freshman Jacob Mass both added to the huge margin.

Four star recruit [According to ESPN] Tony Reeves had an exceptional night on defense with 9 tackles, one sack, and an interception. On offense, as a tight end he added two catches for 13 yards.

Andrean will look ahead to October 31st where they'll be playing a semifinal game at Calumet, who beat Lew Wallace 27-12.

[beast10]

I Just Want It All — Jalen Walton's Path

October 26th-27th, 2014


I spent that following Sunday at football workouts that I dedicatedly attended every weekend. Well I wouldn't say I dedicated myself to them, my dad told me to go or else I had to quit football. The sessions were led by Billy Sample; a former NFL player in the 90s who lasted for about one or two years in the league before being cut from a series of teams. That was good enough for most people; he knew what he was doing and that's why about twenty people ranging from seventh grade to college seniors came in every Sunday morning.

Damn was I tired though … Today was just an indoor workout in the gym so it consisted on conditioning opposed to the field where we obviously actually worked on football fundamentals. Sample kept us occupied with plenty of strength and agility drills. Running around the room with weights over ours heads and what not … I couldn't complain that the results hadn't shown though, couple of days ago I looked at my eighth grade football pictures then looked at this year's and you could definitely see the difference.

"Come on move it Walton!" Sample motivated over my shoulder as I ran while pushing the heavy weight across the floor. "You better start working like you belong at that school Andrean!"

I push harder until I reach the other end of the wall then I turn it around and go hard towards the other end once again. The grind continued and eventually the work had thrown any signs of sleepiness right out my body. After a long two hours it was over, from there I was headed back home to just chill. But what bugged me once there was that the only thing that circulated through my mind was my fate with Andrean, I had big shoes to fill next season and I knew I could do it but it was making me so nervous knowing I had such a huge load on my back. These guys hadn't lost a game in almost two years now and if all went well, I'd be the starting quarterback as a sophomore. That meant I could either make a name for myself in the state of Indiana or I could just **** everything up.

I scratched my head and let out a deep breath. I had a lot on my mind for no reason, I could do this … My phone screen lit up; it was a text from Daija. She was one of the girls I talked to on the regular, nothing too serious on my behalf but I think she really liked me. I had to admit it though, I was the typical dude, I only talked to girls because I wanted to get them in bed. I didn't have the feel for the committed relationship stuff because it was nothing but stress and they always ended sooner or later. Maybe when I grew up I'd start taking it serious but not now.

Daija [3:32 P.M.] — Jalennn you see what all these people are commenting on my post of us?

I check instagram and see that she tagged me in the post of the picture we took last night after the game. It has quite the amount of likes and I looked at all the comments where everybody's saying "cute" and that type of stuff. That's not good.

Me [3:36 P.M.] — yeah guess they're right.
Daija [3:37 P.M.] — (: we cute.

Yeah she was leading into something. I didn't respond instead I focused back on my stressed out situation with football. I flipped through television movies until I got frustrated and turned the entire thing off. Then I sat on the couch with my head lying inside my palms. After about two minutes I pulled out my laptop from under the living took table and looked up Calumet on Hudl. I wouldn't be playing against them but it wouldn't hurt to have some input ready in film session on Monday.

-------------------------------------------

It had been a good day at school so far. Well only because we'd just watched a movie in English and I normally hated that class. I now paced through the hallway towards my locker which was on the other end of the building and that itself made me angrier everyday as I'd have to walk through about 200 people walking in the opposite direction as me. On the way there I'm stopped by Mr. Ammon, or the freshman basketball coach as I know him.

"Jalen, you're just the kid I wanted to see. I was looking over at the tryout submissions and I didn't see your name? I recalled you put in quite a show during the summer workouts, are you not trying out?"

"Aww coach I don't know," I say with a shrug. "I haven't played basketball in months. I've been busy on the field."

"Well you're a two sport athlete. You can be a little rusty at first but I know talent doesn't disappear that quick. You'll be fine."

"It's just that I don't know if I want a sidetrack from football, I want to be the best at what I do and—"

"Hey just do what best suits you. Tryouts are on the tenth, hope to see you there."

I kept coach Ammon's talk in mind for the rest of that day. I hadn't been thinking about ball since my AAU season ended last summer. Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea, I'd be able to destroy Griffith sooner too.

When the bell rung I was off to coach Rice's room for film. I walked there along with Noah and Ronnie, we chatted and joked around upon how it felt to be a bench warmers for the first time of our lives. Once there we were stunned to see we were amongst the first ones there while the JV and varsity members stumbled in late despite the after school announcement that reported that we show up right after school.

When they all arrived without further ado coach Rice got started, "Now you guys played a hell of a football game on Friday night. I'll give you that, but every game has mistakes so of course ours did too. Against a team like Knox, we could've got away with a million mistakes and still managed to win because quite frankly, they suck. But later down the line in these playoffs we're going to be playing teams that are actually known a mile off their school grounds. Mistakes will become vital and it's important we get them corrected because this is the toughest point of the season, you guys all know by now that it's win or go home. There's no team out there that is willing to lose … We're going to start off with Knox and then we'll move over to some Calumet film."

[beast10]

Re: I Just Want It All — Jalen Walton's Path

Anybody following or got any suggestions?

[thesportsguru11]

Re: I Just Want It All — Jalen Walton's Path

Anybody following or got any suggestions?

I'm Following. No suggestions out of me, just let your story flow naturally for now and we'll suggest things as we get farther into it.

[beast10]

I Just Want It All — Jalen Walton's Path

I'm Following. No suggestions out of me, just let your story flow naturally for now and we'll suggest things as we get farther into it.

Thanks, I just start to question things when the views are going up but I'm still the only poster lmao.

[NewscasterNews4]

Re: I Just Want It All — Jalen Walton's Path

This has been nice so far, following.

[beast10]

Re: I Just Want It All — Jalen Walton's Path

This has been nice so far, following.

Right on bro. Glad to have BT back btw, let me know if u ever need help.

[beast10]

I Just Want It All — Jalen Walton's Path

Class 3A Sectional 25 | NO. 1 Andean 55, Calumet 3
Indiana 3A High School Football Playoffs: SECTIONALS — 59ers Deliver Second Straight Blowout in Indiana 3A Playoffs

Andrean is undefeated and it's been that way for a while now as losing has been nearly unheard of for the program. They traveled a short distance to Calumet on Friday and returned later that day with their second consecutive +50 scoring effort. This time being 55-3. Quarterback David Fowler threw for for 149 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Terrance Doyle was once again a force to be recon with as he finished with 156 rushing yards for 3 touchdowns. Receivers Alex Truman and Jacob Mass also once again both contributed a single touchdown and with Mass [a freshman] now having back to back touchdowns in games logging his first minutes in varsity uniform, Head Coach Dan Rice made it clear after the game he'd be a great player for them next season.

---

Class 3A Sectional 25 | NO. 1 Andean 45, Glenn 22
Indiana 3A High School Football Playoffs: SECTIONALS — (11-0) Andrean on a Roll; Defeat Glenn (6-6)

Andrean had yet to allow a team to score over 3 points before their last sectional game against Glenn. Despite it all, the 59ers clobbered the Falcons 45-22. The man of the hour was once again rising halfback Terrance Doyle who had yet another +200 yard game this time with 226 on 8.1 yards per carry for 3 touchdowns. David Fowler had a rough night getting his passes where he wanted as he went for just 40% [6-15] yet managed to throw for 156 yards and two touchdowns. Those two were short distant passes to tight end Tony Reeves and Alex Truman. On defense Reeves offered no resistance for Glenn as he tallied 12 tackles and a sack. Mark Hegan played a key role on defense as well with a total of 9 tackles as a strong safety.

Andrean will now look forward to Regionals on November 15th where they'll be facing Jimtown who put a beating on Twin Lakes 42-21.

[beast10]

I Just Want It All — Jalen Walton's Path

November 8th, 2014


My friends and I spent our mornings in the mall on a mission to buy the newly released Jordan 13s before they sold out so in result we stood in the slowly moving line at the Foot Locker for a good hour before we were able to purchase them and switch out from our slides. We'd spent a good amount of the rest of the day roaming the mall trying to meet some girls or something.

"You guys trying out on Monday?" Kyle asks in the topic of basketball as we sit in the lounge. It's him, Ronnie, Noah, Joe, and Darien also known as D-Lo.

Both D-Lo and Ronnie say yes and it was obvious that 6'4 Kyle was bound to be a part of the team. "Yeah, I am," I say afterwards. "Coach Ammon was all over me about it. I wasn't even gonna do it at first."

"So what does that mean, you've got a guaranteed spot?" Noah asks.

"I mean, freshman isn't that hard to make anyways but I guess you can say I have an advantage. I was putting in work at the summer workouts too."

"Wait can we even try—" Ronnie pauses in the middle of the sentence and looks toward the Foot Locker entrance. "There goes the first wave of the girls."

We look over and see three girls worth a drop of the jaw. They were all white girls which hadn't really been my type for a while but these girls broke that barrier by far. Their eyes were all a bright blue which were framed by long lashes, they had smiles others would envy, and their blonde hair glowed as it bounced along with their steps. Man they looked like movie stars or something and that most likely meant they acted like one too, which was stuck up and snobs.

Immediately the idea of telling Joe to go talk to them popped in my head. He was really cool and that was the reason we hung out with him but man was he bad with the ladies.

"Hey Joe," I say with a quick laugh. "Go get their numbers."

"Alright watch me work this magic." He gets up with no hesitation and I get ready to be humored.

"Good one Jalen." D-Lo says as we all start laughing. We couldn't hear anything but eyed for the girls reactions as Joe talked. They actually seemed engaged, out of surprise I see one of the girls point our direction and I focus in and think she's pointing at me then she signaled for whoever it was to come here. I start gesturing my hands trying to figure out who she was pointing at.

"Yes you, come here!" She says with a little laugh.

"Woah." I say at a volume only my group can hear. "Getting girls without even trying." I laugh and walk towards the three, Joe heads back to the lounge laughing.

"So you want our numbers but you're too scared to ask?"

"Wait, wait, what?" I reply confused, Joe must've pulled a move.

"The dude you just sent over here to get our numbers … Why are you scared? You're cute enough."

"Oh, nah I didn't send him over, he must've lied. But yeah I'll take them."

They all giggle and the same girl continues, "Give us your phone."

"I can type them it's no problem." I say with a fake grin.

"And I can type them to." She gives me the same but more obvious fake grin.

"Aight. Well uh, here you go." I pull my phone out and hand her my phone hoping she puts her and the others numbers in and that's it.

"So let's see, 89 missed messages, 14 missed calls, 38 Kik messages. Looks like you ask for all the girl's numbers!"

I make a note to self that this girl was a psycho and was probably the type that'd kill you if they found out you were talking to another girl. "Hey give me a lil break, I'm a quarterback at my school, you already said I'm cute, and they say I'm easy to talk to. Sometimes the girls just go for me. It's not always me chasing."

"Good enough, I'll save mine." She flashes that smile that first stood out and I get mixed feelings about how she feels about me. She hands the phone to the other two girls who'd been quiet and I think they enter their numbers too. "By the way, I'm Makayla, that's Daniela, and she's Alexis."

I'm Jalen, y'all want to chill with me and my friends here? We got nothing to really do."

She checks for her friends approval and they both say sure. "Yeah why not." She says.

Easy enough, I thought. We spent about three hours with the girls, downside was that it was four of us and only three of them so the odd man out was obviously poor old Joe. He stuck around for about more twenty minutes jumping in from conversation to conversation before he called his mom to come pick him up. I was with Makayla, D-Lo with Alexis, and Kyle had Daniela. We all got to know each other, shared stories and laughs, and ultimately had a good time for a bunch of strangers.

At the end she let me know that she'd like to hang out another time and I quickly agreed. A bad first impression was a shocker from her, she was actually really cool. Couldn't believe I was saying it but I'd go as far as saying I'd actually want to date somebody like her because looks and personality like hers was rare. Only problem was she was sophomore and went to a Portage, a school about twenty minutes away from mine, the plus; I lived in Portage.

[beast10]

Re: I Just Want It All — Jalen Walton's Path

Gonna try to update tonight or tomorrow

[beast10]

Re: I Just Want It All — Jalen Walton's Path

November 22nd, 2014


After a series of second thoughts, I made my mind up and decided I would go through with basketball. I ended up making the team however that didn't last very long because two days later I was talking to coach Ammon about how I wanted to leave the basketball program and return on the field to finish out the season with varsity. He once again let me know that I should do what best suits me and that the opportunity would still be available for me after the football season. I just couldn't bare to leave what my heart was set upon, even if I wasn't playing with these guys on Friday nights I still wanted to be apart of the great things they had going on.

After all I thank God I made that decision because now we were in an extremely critical situation in our Semi-State game against West Lafayette. We trailed the game 10-13 at halftime.

When we got in the locker room coach Rice gave it to us right off the bat. He went crazy as usual but it was absolutely necessary, we were simply not playing well. But unlike back when I played Griffith last month, these guys were fired up and ready to get back out there and blast them when coach finished his speech. They had all the heart in the world. "They're not taking us alive!" Fowler barked.

"This is our field! Our football!" Ace yelled.

All of a sudden Tony Reeves arose amongst of all, "Bring it in guys." He says and we follow his order. You could see the agony in his face, as a senior and the heart and soul of this team, Reeves wanted another ring more than anybody else.

"All I remember is back in August, us just working our asses off even though we sweep through the season undefeated the year before. We took no breaks because we weren't stopping until we were the best in the nation, that hasn't happened yet and that's why we continued to work up to this very date. Now, we're getting smashed out there and that work we put in, it's like it all faded. That's gotta change as soon as we get back on that ****ing field. We have been tearing up teams all year and these guys are no ****ing different. Indiana has us #1 in 3A for a reason and we aren't gonna let these Lafayette kids come and jump around on OUR FIELD, our HOUSE. Today is NOT OUR LAST GAME." His voice started to elevate. "THIS IS ANDREAN FOOTBALL, WE ARE WARRIORS, CHAMPIONS, AND THIS GAME IS OURS TO WIN. LETS GO OUT THERE AND SHOW THEM WHO RUNS THINGS AROUND HERE!"

"CHAMPIONS!" We chant and bring it in for a last time before we get back on the field and prepare for the second half of football.

The clock ticked quickly as we got our quick stretches in before it was time to receive on kickoff. The return personnel hit the field while us others headed to the sidelines.

Mark Hegan caught the ball at around the 10 and advanced us up to around the 40. David Fowler stood ahead of us on the out of bounce line as he listened to coach gave him the play, he then ran over to the huddle. He lined up in shot gun and the ball was snapped, I realized it was veer as the play progressed, Terrance trailed as the pitch back and once Fowler reached the defensive end he tossed it over and he powered it through for a first down.

What we didn't notice as we hopped around on the sideline was that Fowler didn't get up after getting hit after the pitch.

Coach Rice, our trainer, and other coaching personnel rushed to the field to Fowler who was laid out with little to no movement.

On the sidelines we took our helmets off and took a knee in desperation. Down in the game before state and our quarterback is down, this was the worst thing that could happen to us right now …

David still didn't make a single move, they carried him off the field and called an ambulance as signs of a concussion appeared. Our trainer took his pads off and we could see his chest beating faster than usual.

The ambulance showed up about 10 minutes later as they parked on the track and got the report from trainer, they put David on the stretcher then into the back of the truck.

Most of us sighed, we remained on our knee but moved closer in and started up a prayer for David as the truck turned on its light and made its way off of the school property … Then it was time to resume the game.

"WE'RE GONNA WIN THIS, FOR DAVID. THEY WANT TO PLAY DIRTY THAN SO CAN WE." Reeves starts to go crazy and it sends angry determined vibes through the team.

"Jalen, come here." Coach Rice boomed.

I reacted quicker than a begging dog would to food. I hadn't heard my name called on the sidelines in what seemed to be forever.

"Yes coach?"

"I want you in there, I don't know what the hell triggered me to think this but I know you've got what it takes. Don't disappoint me boy, run Portland sweep left."

"Alright coach." I took a deep breathe and goosebumps took me by storm as I ran onto the field while our student section thunderously cheered.