Final Whistle: Trumbull High’s Freshman Team Closes Out Season

Nicholas Baglio ‘29
Matthew Gavern ‘29
EE Staff Writers 

On Thursday, November 20th, the young Eagles of ’29 played their final game of the season against rival high school, Saint Joseph’s in the annual Rumble in Trumbull Football game, a tradition since 1975. This year, the boys were led by, Coach Phil Koda, a football fanatic and coach of football with over 30 years of experience; head wrestling coach of Trumbull High and decorated military veteran, Coach Charlie Anderson; and Trumbull High alumni and department head of physical education, art, and music, Coach Vin DiScala. These three exceptional coaches guided the team with a final record of 3-7! 

Getting Into the Season
Most of these players have been playing with each other since middle school and now have the opportunity to play with each other as true Eagles. This season, the freshmen class alone had about 43 players join the team from all over Fairfield County. The team has been working hard since the beginning of June, exercising in the weight room, participating in summer clinics, and attending various camps led by upperclassmen. Getting into the beginning of September, the boys played Wilton in their game, winning 14-0! After that they had some tough competition playing state ranked teams such as Greenwich, Darien, and Fairfield. 

Perseverance
Even though the outcome of the games was not what the boys were aiming for, they did not give up. They practiced everyday after school for 2-3 hours, sometimes more, through summer’s hot heat waves and the cold, dead of winter. Perseverance was seen in all positions, especially in the running backs and receivers. This year’s backs and receivers cooperated very well with each other beautifully, on and off the field. No matter what was thrown at the young eagles, they still persevered. Through this endless work, the results, slowly but surely came. The final scores of the boy’s games does not reflect, at all, the true hard work and dedication the team has put into this program. This year’s team truly showed how no matter the outcome of the game, it did not matter to these boys. The true thing that mattered was the boys were actually getting something out of the program. They were learning new plays and skills that will forever be stuck in their heads throughout their entire football career. 

Linemen
Throughout the highs and lows of this season, no matter what, the team could always count on the linemen to cheer everyone up. If there is one thing that the linemen know how to do, it’s to have fun. This year’s linemen have given their all. This year’s linemen collaborate very well with each other as well, and have really brought the entire team together on and off the field. From new blocking schemes, to intense power steps, the team would not be able to achieve half of their plays if it weren’t for the linemens’ pride and commitment , this year’s freshmen team would be a different group. 

Conclusion
So the purpose of this article is really to show how, even if the outcome of a season or event is not the way you want it to be, it’s okay. All you need is more perseverance, which was seen greatly in this year’s freshmen football season. This trait carries a long way in life and is a key life skill when it comes to commitments in the future. So, in conclusion, gain more persistence and support your Trumbull Eagles for a great season next year!