The Friday Night Lights shone bright at Greenbrier as our school’s football team battled it out against Langley High School on October 13, 2023. The clock had wound down to one second left in the fourth quarter when the kicker took the field for the chance to score a game-winning field goal.
The crowd held their breath as the ball soared through the goalposts, making the final score 31-28 Yorktown. A rush of gleaming blue and white jerseys streamed onto our home turf, and the student section went wild. Our football team had just narrowly won the homecoming football game against Langley, thanks to sophomore varsity kicker Max Yoon.
When asked about how he felt about the kick, it’s clear that it was just as exciting for him as it was for the crowd watching.
“I wasn’t really thinking. I just wanted to make it. I had a rush of adrenaline and I felt really good after I made it. Everyone came and celebrated,” Yoon said.
Our school’s kicker isn’t the only player who has shined this season. Varsity quarterback Hudson Greene played a key role in the exciting playoff win against South Lakes. While he looked calm and collected on the turf, he definitely felt the pressure.
“When it got down to the fourth quarter and it was a close game, their fans were going crazy. It was definitely the loudest and most intense atmosphere I’ve played in,” Greene said.
The close wins against Langley and South Lakes were highlights of the season, but with a record of 6-4, our school proved to be a winning team in other games as well. The season-opening 21-14 win against Woodson jump started the season. The team followed the victory with two wins against Jackson-Reed and Wakefield with scores of 37-7 and 34-9, respectively.
These impressive wins came with some tough losses, including an 18-21 loss against rival Washington and Liberty. Varsity head coach Bruce Hanson, however, remained unfazed.
“Our team morale is good, you know … we’re used to winning around here. We’ve lost a couple close ones, but it’s made our players work harder,” Hanson said.
It’s a good thing that team morale is high. Working together as a team is invaluable when trying to succeed in the competitive postseason. Crucial wins against Langley and Herndon are part of the reason the team advanced into the playoffs.
“We want to win the Arlington Championship, we want to win the district championship, we want to go forward into playoffs and maybe even win regionals,” Hanson said.
Each game brings a new set of unique challenges to be tackled. Our players are ready to rise to the occasion, as they have all season.
“You know, we’ve got a bunch of guys who didn’t play last year. And the thing that we’ve been impressed with is that [they’ve] improved. Even though we lost a couple close games, we’ve improved with the game this year,” Hanson said.
Greene is no stranger to stepping up to challenges like these. “You know you’re going to get the ball every play … you know you’re going to have to be involved. You also have to know that you’re not just responsible for yourself, you’re responsible for every player on the field,” Greene said.
Despite these obstacles, our players have thoroughly enjoyed their time on the team.
“I’ve really enjoyed the togetherness of the team and the bonding and the great wins that we’ve had,” Yoon said.
Our school used this teamwork to put up a strong fight against Westfield High School in the semifinals of the playoffs, with a final score of 14-21, Westfield.
While the playoffs are over, there is no denying that this season has been a success and certainly one to remember.
