The Byrnes Family: Senior Night at SMS District Stadium

Last night was the last home game of the season for the Raiders (only 3 this year) and it was also Senior Night. The senior football players were announced with their parents before the game. It was then time for the last pregame show. I must admit to getting a tad emotional when listening to that southern classic "Robert E. Lee." (I am pretty sure the band played that pregame when I went there). I stood and sang the school song and the fight song (remembering doing that after Brenton scored) and the game began. Brenton and Cady made a fast dash from Ottawa after football practice and made it to the stadium at the end of the 1st quarter (South was only down by 7 - shocking). Brenton hadn't been to a South game for years and he remembered a lot of those boys as freshmen his senior year. They looked very small to him (of course he was very small when he was a Raider too). Brenton and Cady wore their conference championship rings (which prompted the man behind me to comment to his wife that "those two have matching super bowl rings" - very odd). Halftime came and the senior pacesetter, drill team, and band members lined up on the track. Shelby was 6th in line (they were alphabetical) and when they called her name she stepped forward, put her right arm out to the side, and nodded. (Insert mom in stands almost in tears). Brenton went out on the track and gave her a bouquet of flowers (green and yellow daisies) and gave his little sister a big hug (insert mom in tears). After all the names were called, the parents in the stands released balloons symbolizing letting our children go. Okay, now I didn't think that much about it until my boss made the following comments "Is Brenton going to have to hold you down and pry that string out of your hands? I'll have to check to make sure you have all of your fingers on Monday in case he has to cut one off to get you to let go." I can honestly say I have all my fingers and no one had to pry the balloon out of my hand, although it was very hard to watch that dumb yellow balloon fly away. We then watched the final half-time show (which was awesome). I learned that Brenton and his friends used to gamble during pep assemblies and that he once made $15 betting how many times the drill team girls dropped their flags. He was a bit disappointed in the show because no one dropped anything (he felt the show lacked a high degree of difficulty and that "daredevil feel" with no high tosses). It was a very special night for Shelby and even though the Raiders lost (West is not the powerhouse they once were but we desperately needed Clarence, Jake, and the OU O-line), she had a great time. My only regret was not getting someone to take a picture of me with her. Will have to wait until Senior Night at the bowling alley (ok - no balloons thank goodness, but that one will be really hard). Congrats, Shelby - you were (and are always) amazing!