By jove, I think these Spartans have it.
As it turns out, the Emporia High football team is pretty dang good this year (insert gasp here).
I know, I know — hard to believe, right?
I don’t know if anyone, including myself, knew what to think about this year’s squad until last week.
Let’s face it, before their 17-15 victory over Shawnee Heights last Friday — I’ll get to that in a moment — the Spartans were 3-1, yes, but the teams they had beaten were ... how do I put this lightly? ... bad.
Just look at who Emporia High had beaten: Topeka High, Topeka West and Washburn Rural.
Those three teams have a grand total of two wins combined.
Yes, Washburn Rural is probably better than its 1-4 record indicates, but the same cannot be said for the other two schools.
I realize that a win is a win and that last year, Emporia High lost to all three teams, but honestly, everyone had to have known the Spartans would be better this year.
They had to be better.
Emporia High returned a bevy of seniors on both sides of the ball, particularly on defense, who were downright sick and tired of losing.
Suffering through two consecutive 1-8 seasons isn’t exactly pleasant.
Maybe it is because I never actually saw the Spartans play last year — or ever, for that matter — but I believe it was to be expected that the Spartans would take care of business and beat Topeka High, Topeka West and Washburn Rural.
But the bigger test of strength, character, will and any other description of a team’s fortitude came last Friday with a road game at Shawnee Heights.
The Thunderbirds, who were 3-1 at the time, presented every bit as daunting a challenge as Blue Valley West in the season opener, which the Spartans had lost 21-14.
There were several factors to take into consideration.
• The Spartans were playing on grass for the first time all season. EHS practices on grass, but it is impossiible to simulate game speed in practice
• Although it was the third road game of the year, it was the Spartans’ first road match at an opponent’s actual home stadium. EHS played Topeka High and Topeka West at Hummer Sports Park, and, although it is a nice facility, Hummer Sports Park doesn’t have the feel of a home stadium for the “home” team. It’s more of a neutral site.
• Shawnee Heights was the first team with a winning record the Spartans had faced all year, not including the game against Blue Valley West.
So the questions before the game were: Just how much had Emporia High improved since the first game, and how would it respond to a little adversity?
The answers: Quite a bit, and, better than expected.
Although the victory over Shawnee Heights wasn’t pretty, it didn’t have to be. It was a road win in a hostile environment against a good team.
Shawnee Heights boasts one heck of a quarterback in Tyler Herl, who passed for 120 yards and ran for another 89 against the Spartans, and a pretty good receiver in Roger Luedke, who made a great over-the-shoulder catch to pull Shawnee Heights to within two at 17-15 late in the game.
Shawnee Heights is not, say, Hayden, but a good team nonetheless, and it was a gritty win for Emporia High.
To be honest, it was a game the Spartans probably would have lost last year, or so I’ve been told. Again, I never saw this team play before this year. But I’ve heard stories.
Some might not like to admit it, but the win over Shawnee Heights just might have validated the Spartans’ breakout season in the eyes of everyone outside the team’s huddle.
With Highland Park coming up, the Spartans must take care of business before the biggest game of the season — a home matchup on Oct. 13 with Wichita Heights, the No. 1-ranked team in 6A.
A loss to Highland Park would be devastating, while a victory would give Emporia High a shot at shocking the state of Kansas the next week should the Spartans pull off a win against Wichita Heights.
Either way, I’ve seen enough.
I’m convinced this year’s Spartans are good.
But are they great?
Stay tuned for that answer.