Rustin's Clinches the Win in Overtime!

Rustin and the Sabers had a big game against their rivals, The Horsemen, on Saturday, Oct. 11. Many of his teammates attend the same jr. high as the Horsemen and have been listening to a lot of taunting and trash talking for the last few weeks. This game was a must win. 

Rustin #34 is working hard for his team and making some big hits.  They scored first and led 8-0 for most of the game. The Horsemen came back to tie in the fourth quarter. 

Overtime again!

Rustin is the defensive captain and I don't thing there is anything I like more than watching him Russ giving signals back and forth during the game.  I'm not sure what this one means but it worked.  We scored on our third down in overtime and were in the lead but then it was there turn to try and tie it up again. Man, was the crowd crazy! The Horsemen parents and coaches were going ballistic, even telling an uninjured kid to lie down on the field so they could get an extra injury time out and slow down the end of the game.  Back to the story, it was their turn and on their first down...

they fumbled the ball on the handoff and guess who jumped on that live ball?  Rustin! He dove right on it and ended the game with a big WIN for us. His friend Cole #22 said after the game "I turned around to dive on the ball and Rustin had slid under me and was already on it!" Everyone was freaking out and our kids and parents were going crazy! After the ref had blown the whistle and we had technically won the game, a Horsemen player was still trying to rip the ball out of Rustin's arms as he stood up! Rustin kept holding onto it until he was SURE the ref had seen HE had it and that we had won. Russ ran out onto the field and gave him a HUGE hug! 

 I was video taping the play and had no idea that it was Rustin who had jumped on the ball in all the confusion until about 5 minutes later when someone was asking if I had seen the big hug Russ gave Rustin. Then I was the most excited and crazy parent there! Ahhh, football.  I am trying to get the video uploaded but unsuccessful so far. Because I didn't know it was Rustin who recovered the fumble (I'm looking at a tiny screen in the sunlight) I stopped recording before he stands all the way up with the ball (and the kid hanging on) but it is still a great shot! For now the pictures do say 1,000 words! 

Good Job Rustin and Go Sabers!!