To the Journal editor:

I had the privilege recently of attending the Marquette Sentinels football team versus the Gaylord Blue Devils at Gaylord’s high school stadium.  It was an unforgettable game for several reasons, one of which was witnessing a highly competitive football game where there were no losers.

The final score in the second overtime was Gaylord 28, Marquette 27. Gaylord prevented a fourth down Marquette winning score from the 2-yard line by about an inch from the goal line when the Sentinels’ runner was forced out of bounds with 6 seconds remaining on the game clock. The stands were full; the weather was perfect; there were patriotic pregame presentations; the referees were professional and controlled the game smoothly; the cheerleaders and band were important contributors to spectators’ enjoyment. No boos were heard and there were no negative behaviors by the mix of animated students. 

During the game the score switched back and forth, increasing the drama approaching the final outcome… Gaylord by 1 point, by inches, by uncommon sportsmanship displayed by both teams. It was a perfect evening of high school football where parents, fans, and determined young men all came together to create a genuine benchmark of excellence for what high school athletics is all about.

Congratulations are offered to the referees, coaches, parents, fans and players for an epic performance. Truly this was a remarkable game in so many respects and will long be remembered as the game where neither team lost… because both teams were winners.