heading to state finals

[fbref5269]

hi all,

got a call the other night and i will be one of the referees officiating the maryland state 3a football championship game thursday night, 11/29/12. the game will be played at m&t bank stadium(ravens home field) and is being televised on wnuv tv channel 54 in baltimore. after a fun filled racing season, this is a great way to end the year. i'm excited!

frank

[Mark 72@E]

Small World

It's a small, small world Frank --

You left out that one of the teams in the Maryland State 3A Football Championship game on Thursday is Huntingtown High School from little old Calvert County, MD. It's where Luke attends now (he plays lacrosse, not football) and where Austin graduated a few years ago.

I'm still deciding whether or not I want to go see it live at the stadium. At least I'll know one person on the field if I do!

[fbref5269]

it is a small world

mark,

that is so cool, it is a small world. if you go take your camera, tevo the game. i have been on the field before and theer were about 12,000 to 15,000 people there. when a crowd that size gets yelling the wing official can not hear the qb call the signals in the middle of the field. can only imagine what it would be like with a sellout. the fans realy are the 12th player. i will be the line judge(wing official on the home side) i think river hill is the home team.

is your son going?

frank

[Jack Stotts]

Congratulations Frank! That's quite an honor to be selected to officiate at a state Finals. Do good Frank. Jack

[fbref5269]

spit shing shoes

hey jack,

spit shining shoes. remember those days? i did it for 12 years at mcdonogh school (semi-military school back then).all is packed and leaving for the game at 4. we will be there 2 hours early. i will take some pictures from the field before we get dressed.

hey mark,

you coming tonight? might be good weather. i will be ready for cold though. i have underarmour and 6 tshirts. pants are insulated and legs usually don't get cold.

frank

[Mark 72@E]

Yep

Yep, Luke and I are coming tonight -- arriving separately because we're coming from different directions. No camera tonight though -- past experience has taught me that my equipment and I aren't good enough for night photography. Memories of our victory tonight will have to do...

[fbref5269]

that was one exciting game

mark,

the next to last interception killed huntington. you have to admit it was an exciting game. i thought it was going to be colder on the field and overdressed. halftime i shed 4 layers of clothes and was still hot in the second half.

huntington played well. i had to get the team before the game and when i got to the locker room one of the captains was giving a pep talk. i stood there and listened, i was impressed. he was one of the captains and i told him so before we went out for the coin toss.

where wer you sitting? i was listening for you when we walked the field before the game.

frank

[Mark 72@E]

Gulliver's Travels

In any sport, when who wins or loses a championship comes down to the very last play of the game, it's exciting! River Hill earned their victory. I wasn't at the start of the game. I allowed 1 hour 45 minutes after work to make what Google Maps said was a one hour trip and I sat down in the stadium 2 1/2 hours later. But I was in the bleachers on the goal line to watch Huntingtown score their second TD to make the score 14-6.

Frank, uou beat me to posting about the game. Here's what I was planning to post this morning:

In any sport, when who wins or loses a championship comes down to the very last play of the game, it's exciting! With 20 seconds left on the clock and Huntingtown trailing 18-14, the Huntingtown quarterback threw to his receiver in the end zone. Simultaneously, as the Huntingtown receiver caught the football he was hit (legally) by a River Hill safety. The impact was so hard it knocked out the mouth guard of the Huntingtown player but the Huntingtown player held onto the ball. Touchdown! Huntingtown wins the state championship 20-18.

But because Maryland Athletic Association SAFETY RULES for high schools require that a mouth guard be in place AT ALL TIMES during play, the touchdown was NULLIFIED by the official closest to the play. This was after the referees had signaled the play was a touchdown for Huntingtown. River Hill wins the Maryland State 3A football championship 18-14. The River Hill football squad carried one referee off the field on their shoulders. I couldn't tell if it was Frank or not because there were too many tears in my eyes.

Really? No, I'm just messing with everyone. With 20 seconds left on the clock and Huntingtown trailing 18-14, the Huntingtown quarterback threw to his receiver in the end zone where it was intercepted by River Hill in the end zone, sealing their well-earned victory.

[fbref5269]

priceless

referee uniform $150

turf shoes $50

travel $25

you son telling you that my 2 1/2 year grandson saw you on tv reffing a game and said 'that's pop pop' priceless!