Gaither High School football enjoying Cinderella playoff run
TAMPA, Fla. - The Gaither High School football team probably shouldn't still be playing, yet here the Cowboys are, just one win away from playing for a state championship.
"Honestly, as crazy as this sounds, and it is cliche-ish, these guys feel like they could compete against the Bucs right now," said Gaither head coach Kirk Karsen.
What makes the Cowboys' journey to the state semifinals so improbable, however, is their start to the season. Winning just one of their first five games, the Cowboys playoff hopes looked slim, if not none.
"We were almost finding ways to lose and beat yourself," Karsen said. "We almost had no toes left after shooting them all off in the first five weeks."
Following an overtime loss to Jesuit High School in week seven, Gaither's football team needed to win its final three games.
"It was like a down and desperate feeling, because nobody believed in us. It wasn't a good feeling," said junior defensive lineman Antonio Henley.
But, the Cowboys found new life and haven't lost a game since that October 13 game against Jesuit. Ultimately, Gaither earned an at-large bid to the state playoffs with a (5-5) record and went on to win games against St. Petersburg, Largo, and finally, a double overtime win against Jesuit, to clinch a regional title.
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"We're definitely very blessed and lucky," said junior quarterback Jayce Nixon. "There's only four teams left and everybody is wishing they were here. We love the game, so everybody loves to be out here."
As it turns out, the only thing holding the Cowboys back from reaching their full potential was a belief in themselves.
"When you have that feeling, it is such a good feeling, because you go into a game with confidence," said Karsen. "And confidence is so important to 18, 17, and 16-year-old kids."
It might sound silly, that self-belief alone got Gaither to the state semifinals. That belief does, however, have the Cowboys ready to ride against anyone.
"Everybody feels like when they play Gaither, they're fitting to run through us," Henley said. "But we end up proving them wrong. You can't run through us, and you won't."
Now, the Cowboys will have to try and prove any and all critics wrong, again. Friday they'll play St. Thomas Aquinas in the Class 3M semifinals.