Reagan Football’s First Season is Over, and for Some it was Their Last
WRITTEN BY FREEDOM GOBEL
The Reagan football team had a very exciting season, and to the seniors we say goodbye.
“The homecoming game against Pulaski was especially memorable for a number of reasons. One, was because it was the first time we've had a football homecoming game at Reagan, and there was a lot of school spirit that week. It was a very exciting game. The atmosphere was terrific. We’ve had great fan support all season,” said Mr. Roman, the head-coach of the team. “We had co-oped with Pulaski all the way up until this year. I knew a lot of those kids, I coached some of those kids. Our guys had played with they’re guys, and knew some of them very well,” said Roman.
“The last touchdown we scored may be the greatest play in the history of this program. If there's Reagan football for a hundred years, there may not be a more exciting play than our last touchdown when River Gobel ran near 120 yards all combined and scored. River has never run that far consecutively in his life,” said Roman, laughing. “He may have run 30 yards without stopping at some point in his life but he's never run 120 yards! It's like if you even see him when you're watching the film you get the sense that all of a sudden there was a light that went into his head that he thought, ‘I'm going to score’. And he did,” Roman said.
River Gobel, a senior this year and Reagan quarterback, is sad to be leaving. “I owe my success to Coach Roman. He’s taught me a lot over the years. Our dedication to the sport is important.” Of course, the success of the season wouldn’t be here without the help of the team, especially the team captains.
Reagan senior and football captain, Devon Williams, has trouble saying goodbye. “This being my last year of football is hard to think about. I was a part of the football program for four years, and my teammates became my second family. I’m truly going to miss it, and will continue to support the program over the years,” said Williams. “You’ve gotta have faith in the coaching staff. We’ve got the best in the city. We’ve had to work hard, and never give up. Size means nothing. The size of your heart is what it's all about.”
Tradition is important to Thomas DeJesus, a senior captain, and he believes his role was to build up the underclassmen to carry on the program in the future. He too, is sad to be leaving. “I will always remember all the great moments my teammates, coaches, and I had throughout my four years of playing for Reagan,” said DeJesus. “I’m thankful for getting the opportunity to play football for Reagan, and to be under such an amazing coaching staff, as it has readied me for the next level.” DeJesus’s advice to future Husky players is simple… “Hit the weights!”
“It was the last game for a very special group. I'm really going to miss all of the seniors that we had this year. They were a great group of kids,” said Roman. “We asked them to set aside their personal ambition, and think more of the team goals. And it doesn’t have to be just a football team in a high school. You could look at a business or any collective of people, and to get that many people on board, to put the group goals ahead of individual goals, I think is really remarkable.”
“The homecoming game against Pulaski was especially memorable for a number of reasons. One, was because it was the first time we've had a football homecoming game at Reagan, and there was a lot of school spirit that week. It was a very exciting game. The atmosphere was terrific. We’ve had great fan support all season,” said Mr. Roman, the head-coach of the team. “We had co-oped with Pulaski all the way up until this year. I knew a lot of those kids, I coached some of those kids. Our guys had played with they’re guys, and knew some of them very well,” said Roman.
“The last touchdown we scored may be the greatest play in the history of this program. If there's Reagan football for a hundred years, there may not be a more exciting play than our last touchdown when River Gobel ran near 120 yards all combined and scored. River has never run that far consecutively in his life,” said Roman, laughing. “He may have run 30 yards without stopping at some point in his life but he's never run 120 yards! It's like if you even see him when you're watching the film you get the sense that all of a sudden there was a light that went into his head that he thought, ‘I'm going to score’. And he did,” Roman said.
River Gobel, a senior this year and Reagan quarterback, is sad to be leaving. “I owe my success to Coach Roman. He’s taught me a lot over the years. Our dedication to the sport is important.” Of course, the success of the season wouldn’t be here without the help of the team, especially the team captains.
Reagan senior and football captain, Devon Williams, has trouble saying goodbye. “This being my last year of football is hard to think about. I was a part of the football program for four years, and my teammates became my second family. I’m truly going to miss it, and will continue to support the program over the years,” said Williams. “You’ve gotta have faith in the coaching staff. We’ve got the best in the city. We’ve had to work hard, and never give up. Size means nothing. The size of your heart is what it's all about.”
Tradition is important to Thomas DeJesus, a senior captain, and he believes his role was to build up the underclassmen to carry on the program in the future. He too, is sad to be leaving. “I will always remember all the great moments my teammates, coaches, and I had throughout my four years of playing for Reagan,” said DeJesus. “I’m thankful for getting the opportunity to play football for Reagan, and to be under such an amazing coaching staff, as it has readied me for the next level.” DeJesus’s advice to future Husky players is simple… “Hit the weights!”
“It was the last game for a very special group. I'm really going to miss all of the seniors that we had this year. They were a great group of kids,” said Roman. “We asked them to set aside their personal ambition, and think more of the team goals. And it doesn’t have to be just a football team in a high school. You could look at a business or any collective of people, and to get that many people on board, to put the group goals ahead of individual goals, I think is really remarkable.”
View the last Homecoming RRHS vs. Pulaski touchdown: