After loss to mighty Lions, Crusaders simply moving on
HUNTERSVILLE – Coach Jay Alverson figured the going was going to be rough for his Christ the King football team when it took its home field for a game against vaunted Statesville Christian Friday night.
And it was.
It was really rough.
Statesville Christian jumped out to a 30-point lead in the first quarter and added 24 more in the second stanza, en route to a 76-0 victory over the Crusaders.
Friday marked the second time the Lions had surpassed 70 points against Christ the King in as many seasons. Last year, in the first game in Crusaders history, Statesville won, 72-0.
It seemed to have a lasting impact on the Crusaders, who dropped to 1-5 overall and 0-2 in the Piedmont Conference this season.
“I think our kids were out of the game before it really started,” Alverson said. “The way last year turned out, we had a lot of kids that were overly nervous about playing them this year. So by the time the midway point of the first quarter hit and we realized that, ‘Hey, we might actually be able to, maybe not be in a game with these guys but be respectable in a game with these guys as far as strength on strength was concerned, they had already scored three times and most of our kids had packed it up.
“Our kids don’t have the ability yet to come from behind,” Alverson added. “They’ve got to learn how to not give up on themselves, not give up on their teammates and not give up on their coaches.”
Alverson said he’s now pushing his team to look ahead to its upcoming games, which, he believes, shouldn’t turn out anything like Friday night.
“We’ve got a couple of games here in a row that we’ve kind of had circled for a little while with Commonwealth Charter School (next Friday) and then Concord First Assembly,” Alverson said. “We believe that if we can win both of those games, we have a chance to make the playoffs. And then once you’re in the playoffs, it’s a brand-new season.”
Statesville improved to 6-0 and is now 1-0 in the conference.
And, for the record, what happened to the second-year Crusaders Friday is no reason to be embarrassed. Statesville Christian, which last year won a state championship, has scored at least 50 points in four of its six games this season and posted three shutouts.
“We’re just going to put (Friday) night behind us,” Alverson said. “We’re not even going to load the film from (Friday) night. We’re just going to write that one off as having been played and move on to Commonwealth and then finish up the season as strong as we can and maybe come out of here with two or three wins on the season.
“For us, that’s as good as a winning season.”
HUNTERSVILLE – Coach Jay Alverson figured the going was going to be rough for his Christ the King football team when it took its home field for a game against vaunted Statesville Christian Friday night.
And it was.
It was really rough.
Statesville Christian jumped out to a 30-point lead in the first quarter and added 24 more in the second stanza, en route to a 76-0 victory over the Crusaders.
Friday marked the second time the Lions had surpassed 70 points against Christ the King in as many seasons. Last year, in the first game in Crusaders history, Statesville won, 72-0.
It seemed to have a lasting impact on the Crusaders, who dropped to 1-5 overall and 0-2 in the Piedmont Conference this season.
“I think our kids were out of the game before it really started,” Alverson said. “The way last year turned out, we had a lot of kids that were overly nervous about playing them this year. So by the time the midway point of the first quarter hit and we realized that, ‘Hey, we might actually be able to, maybe not be in a game with these guys but be respectable in a game with these guys as far as strength on strength was concerned, they had already scored three times and most of our kids had packed it up.
“Our kids don’t have the ability yet to come from behind,” Alverson added. “They’ve got to learn how to not give up on themselves, not give up on their teammates and not give up on their coaches.”
Alverson said he’s now pushing his team to look ahead to its upcoming games, which, he believes, shouldn’t turn out anything like Friday night.
“We’ve got a couple of games here in a row that we’ve kind of had circled for a little while with Commonwealth Charter School (next Friday) and then Concord First Assembly,” Alverson said. “We believe that if we can win both of those games, we have a chance to make the playoffs. And then once you’re in the playoffs, it’s a brand-new season.”
Statesville improved to 6-0 and is now 1-0 in the conference.
And, for the record, what happened to the second-year Crusaders Friday is no reason to be embarrassed. Statesville Christian, which last year won a state championship, has scored at least 50 points in four of its six games this season and posted three shutouts.
“We’re just going to put (Friday) night behind us,” Alverson said. “We’re not even going to load the film from (Friday) night. We’re just going to write that one off as having been played and move on to Commonwealth and then finish up the season as strong as we can and maybe come out of here with two or three wins on the season.
“For us, that’s as good as a winning season.”
