01x07 - Seize the Moment

[bunniefuu]

[brooding guitar music plays]

[Grayson] I can't play football?

No.

So, after Thanksgiving break,

I found out I'd been in contact

with someone that had COVID,

right after the first round of playoffs.

I had to be quarantined

for two weeks.

That was hard on me.

I think you're too muddled up

with all the other bull crap you do,

you know, away from this building,

with all the running around,

and doing this and doing that.

This thing's got you not focused

about what you should do.

So, I'm hoping that changes, you know,

that you understand that going forward.

Usually, I just don't take

many things seriously,

and I just let it What happens, happens.

But this really got to me,

not being able to play for two weeks

in the playoffs, right as I start playing.

Yeah, it just It hit me different.

So

- Am I able to go to the game Friday?

- Mm-mmm.

And here's what's critical.

Every day is critical.

So you're

You're into the

short rows, so to speak.

I just put in so much work

the whole season, did all this, all that,

and then I just get hit

with the quarantine.

Then what? All that work for what?

Not being able to play in the playoffs,

when it matters.

Any questions?

- No, sir.

- I'll see you. Take off.

I only just realized, like, damn,

I'm really not gonna

get to play again this year.

[commentator 1] Welcome to Evans, Georgia,

ladies and gentlemen.

The second-round GHSA playoff

in a torrential rainstorm.

I can barely see across the field.

[commentator 2] Flooded.

Absolutely flooded.

[Mitchell] One thing about it,

it's raining on both sides of the field.

Just another night

to play some goddang football.

Here's the bottom line

You still Valdosta.

You still wear this V.

And that's how it goes.

So whether it's rain,

hail, sleet, or snow,

you got a football game to play tonight,

and you are expected to go play football

like Valdosta Wildcats play football.

- Y'all understand that?

- [players] Sir.

If you've got any championship in you,

you're gonna play

through cold, rain, and wind, no excuses.

- Everyone understand?

- [players] Yes, sir!

- Ready?

- Yes, sir!

- Ready?

- Yes, sir!

- Let's go.

- [man] Let's go!

[commentator 1] The winner tonight

is gonna be headed

to the quarterfinals next week

and one step closer

to that elusive State Championship.

Valdosta making

the long trip to northeast Georgia.

How do you prepare

for a long trip and this weather?

[commentator 2] Not something

you can prepare for. Just jump in and go.

When it's wet, it's wet for everybody.

Right now,

the rain's coming down heavy, all right?

You gotta weather the storm.

[players calling out indistinctly]

[commentator 1]

Jones takes the shotgun snap,

tries to run up the middle, slips,

then falls forward for a middling gain.

[mutters indistinctly]

Playing at Evans, I played in rain,

but not that bad.

What did we do first down? Did we run it?

Because it's raining, got me?

All right, take 'em down.

Jackson hands the ball to Graham

looking for running room. Nothing there.

- Ball's on the ground!

- [Propst] Ball, ball, ball!

Wildcats have it!

Jaylin Alderman picks it up! Now loses it.

Eventually recovered by the Wildcats.

- [Propst] Go, go, go!

- [whistle blowing]

In these games here,

you gotta protect the throws

and run something, okay?

Jones takes the shotgun snap,

hands it to Kaleb Robinson.

Big hole off the left side!

Nice first down run by Kaleb Robinson.

[Sutton] Listen.

Get 'em in there foot to foot.

We're going Q dribble.

We gotta get through now.

It's gonna be to y'all's side.

First down for the Wildcats,

Amari Jones in the shotgun.

He takes the snap.

He's gonna run it himself!

Bangs off that right side,

and he's into the end zone!

And that's a Wildcat touchdown!

[commentator 2] Amari Jones

showing great toughness tonight,

overcoming the elements

and leading

his Cat team into the end zone.

- [Propst yelling]

- [Kent] Full house! Full house!

[commentator 1] Jackson passes

to Graham again, going off the right side.

Big hit by John Brown in the back field.

All right. Let's get 'em.

Punt block.

[commentator 1] Cat defense forced

another punt from Evans.

There's the snap.

Coming up the middle, it's blown!

Ball's on the ground.

Light the fires, baby.

It's a block party all night long.

[Sutton] If we stay

behind our shoulder pads,

we'll run the ball 50 times for 400 yards.

I need those 'backs

to beat them bulldozers.

[commentator 1]

Amari Jones takes the shotgun snap,

bounces off the block

off the left side and into the end zone.

And that's another Wildcat touchdown!

Jones takes the shotgun snap.

He's gonna hand it

to Kaleb Robinson, off the left side.

He lunges forward.

That's another Wildcat touchdown.

[commentator 2] Rainy night in Georgia.

The combination of Kaleb Robinson

and that line has been devastating.

[commentator 1] Final score from Evans,

Valdosta 44, Evans 7.

Better tell Miss Marshall

to fire up the Tahoe,

'cause we're headed to Carrollton

for the quarterfinal next Friday night.

[players whooping, cheering]

Good job!

Hey, great job. Great job, guys.

Seriously, let's get the hell

out of this damn place. Let's go.

[indistinct chatter]

That was the shortest speech ever.

["Wait for It" by Jimmie Allen plays]

Crazy thing when you're 17 ♪

With a head full of crazy dreams ♪

You wish you had

A time machine to catch 'em ♪

[all whooping, laughing]

- [Zoey] Did you listen to the game?

- Yeah.

I don't know

how you listened to a game

Why are you so far away?

- Come be warm.

- Okay.

How'd it feel listening to it

and not being there?

It sucked. It genuinely sucked.

I hated it.

But we won. Really good.

Yeah, by a lot.

And I hope I can come back, next week.

Yeah.

One of the good things was

Zoey decided to quarantine herself too.

And so we basically just had,

like, a quarantine party, just us two.

Grayson thought it'd be fun

if me and him quarantined together,

and we could hang out

and do school together.

[Grayson] She'd come over during the day

and we'd get some school work done,

but then we'd just chill

for the rest of the time.

[Zoey] It was nice to be able to hang out

without him having to go to football

or do anything else.

It was it was really fun.

So how do you feel about me?

It's obvious that I like you. I love you.

- But I'm talking about like-like, like.

- Like-like?

Like, do you have a crush on me?

[laughs] Oh my God!

Um

I mean, I feel like

I don't have a crush on you,

- but if I felt

- You don't?

You don't? So if I asked you

to be my girlfriend

I would say yes.

- Okay then.

- [laughs] Okay!

But it's not like I'm like,

"Oh my God!"

Is it more than a like-like,

more than a love?

Yeah, it is. Yeah.

- But

- I mean, to be honest,

I can't say that I don't got

a little crush on you, you know?

- A little crush on me?

- Yeah.

- Like the little-butterflies-type crush.

- Yeah?

Okay. I agree. I agree with that.

When you hold my hand,

I get butterflies.

Yeah?

Yeah.

That's adorable.

I know.

[students chattering]

Hey, bro. What's that?

What I did, buddy?

Don't be flirtin', bro.

- Who?

- Morgan, bro.

You weren't supposed to know I did that.

When I broke up with Morgan,

it was still a temptation,

'cause we go to the same school.

It's a school relationship.

So you're walking around.

And we have the same lunch, like

You know how in the movies,

they see a girl.

They just be reminiscing about it.

I'm like, "Damn!"

If only I could say hey.

We wanted to talk to each other

but we couldn't.

We couldn't talk to each other

or we're gonna get in trouble.

It hurt, but I knew it hurt him more.

I could tell he wanted to talk to me.

He could tell I wanted to talk to him.

Like a vibe.

Like, okay, we still love each other.

We just gotta We gotta

We could probably hang at lunch

It was almost perfect that we

[Peak] We gonna make it to State, bruh.

We gonna beat Carrollton. I just

It just gonna happen, like

They talking about "Valdosta, you next."

- Oh God.

- You kidding me?

[Nelson] That should be

I've already counted this, 950.

That's for a Jumbotron billboard.

I'm the one that raises the money.

I'm the one that sells ads.

I'm the one that sets up the fundraisers,

the golf tournaments,

the concession stands.

[man] I hadn't talked to you

in so long. I thought I'd say hey.

[Nelson] Hey.

We're having trouble with the coach.

He wants to do no Touchdown Club meetings.

- What's wrong?

- Boy, that word spread quick.

He said, "We can either have

a State Championship

or a Monday night meeting."

I supported him 110%

when he first got here.

I was all in.

It's just bothering me

the way he wants to do things.

We need a new coach.

[Propst] The Touchdown Club

hasn't done a dang thing for me.

They've not given me a red dime of money.

Far as I know, they still hadn't paid

that $2,800 on that powder stuff,

if I'm correct on that.

We got a $2,800 bill

for that protein shake

that he likes to use.

Now, Rush dropped that

in my lap Friday evening.

[man] Yeah, he told me. Right.

[Nelson] That's how it is with Rush.

[Propst] This guy's off the deep end.

You're not gonna

run me down in this community,

lie to people about things that I've said

or done or spent or not spent.

You got every coach right now

ready to whip his butt.

I'm just telling you.

He's also taping my conversations.

I've been told by a couple of men

in this community that called and said,

"Do you realize

that Nub is taping your conversation

when he comes and talks to you?"

It's a control thing.

You know what I mean?

Don't like his competition.

It's bad.

He don't realize

I got a lot of friends around here.

- [birdsong]

- [insects chirruping]

[Kendall, hoarsely] Whatever,

my voice is so gone.

- [Zoey] It's destroyed.

- Yeah, it really is.

Were you just screaming a lot?

[Zoey laughs]

What the heck?

[laughs] What happened?!

- [Zoey laughing]

- I give up.

How are you doing?

Anything bothering you?

- Anything making you happy?

- I want a boyfriend.

Get you a boyfriend.

Do it look like

I wanna dress up to get a boyfriend?

[laughs] You don't have to dress up

to get a boyfriend.

I've been emailing

that girl about my dress.

You know what you want?

- No.

- You know what kind of

I have to tell Carson soon.

He has to match

I know exactly what dress I want.

What is it?

- I sent it to everybody

- You going with Avery?

Yep. I am.

I heard something happened

with Lenley and Grayson.

What, that they broke up?

- Yeah.

- Yep.

I'm confused about that

but we're not gonna get into it. Uh, I

- I dunno.

- Does that, like

What does that mean?

I truly don't know.

I know you probably like him a lot,

so you do not need

to get involved when they still

No, exactly, that's what I told him.

I was like,

"I don't know why you're doing that."

He was like, "She doesn't want me

hanging with you at all.

She wants me to cut you off."

I was like, "Then cut me off.

It doesn't matter.

I really could care less."

He was like, "I'm not gonna do that."

Then the next day

No, that night, he left.

I went to volleyball. He left.

And as soon as I got out of volleyball,

he was typing, "We broke up,"

and I was like, "Dang."

I didn't ask why though. I just assumed.

I think, personally, I think

I know you like him a lot.

And I think you'll always have

a special place in his heart.

I think you guys need a little time.

Apart?

No, just to, like,

form your own, like, paths,

- with different people.

- Yeah. Yeah.

You're not gonna marry him, right?

I dunno!

Does it matter?

- You guys' relationship is so exhausting

- It really is. I admit it.

[Nichols] The Carrollton Trojans

are on the schedule for Friday night.

Cats gonna have their hands full

as they try to advance

past the quarterfinals

for the first time in five years.

[man] That was a good ball.

[reporter] As you head to Carrollton,

what is the extra preparation

that you do this week

to prepare for what they'll bring?

It's gonna be two teams,

I think, ready to get after it

and see who's who's gonna blink first.

No question, this is a huge game.

I think these kids

wanna get over that hump.

So there's a little bit of

"Hey, it's time for us to break through."

We've got an opportunity

to get to the top of the mountain.

We're gonna seize the moment

and try to get it done.

[Propst] Come on now, let's go.

Get there now.

Earn a job! Earn a job! Earn a job!

- [player grunts]

- [Propst yells]

He's gonna knock the hell outta you.

You got to squeeze.

Squeeze the football!

Then throw. Then throw. Then throw.

Get there! Get there!

Gosh almighty! Get off! Get off!

I didn't want to come out here

and scream

'cause I shouldn't have to

on a quarterfinal game!

We should be ready

to go already! Without me!

Take it off!

Get on the scat, ready.

[Propst] Take the field like we mean it.

- Let's go.

- [coach] Scat!

- [whistle blowing]

- [Propst] Too deep! Too deep!

- [whistle blowing]

- [Propst] Hit a knee and listen.

Our execution today ain't very good now,

on either side of the ball.

Amari, you threw I wrote down

ten deep ba*ls you missed today.

Y'all didn't come here today to practice

like you're trying to win a state title.

You came out here

thinking we'll get through today.

You didn't gain a damn thing

on Carrollton today, I promise you that.

'Cause I know 'em.

They've been

to five straight quarterfinals. Five.

You don't think their engine

ain't gonna be running wide open

to try to get to the semifinals?

I question how bad

you really wanna win a state title.

You gotta be good.

You gotta practice-all-week good.

God almighty.

And that's the reason

you ain't gonna win a state title.

You ain't gonna do it

and I ain't gonna color-code it either.

I ain't gonna brag on your a*s

until you prove to me you can do it.

All right. Get out of here. Let's go.

[player] Hey!

Cats on three! One, two, three!

[players] Cat! State champ!

This sucks.

What? Being quarantined?

Yes!

Well, it does. It sucks.

But you don't get it. This could be it.

My football season is most likely over.

I mean, it's not your fault.

There's really nothing you can do.

- I know there's nothing I can do.

- It sucks but there's nothing

I know, but what does that help?

I could have been smarter

about Thanksgiving break.

I mean, yeah.

It's all stupid.

Just very unlucky.

Yeah.

You know I'm always gonna be here for you.

Going to Carrollton,

I just couldn't travel with the team.

I never thought I'd be in that situation

where I'd be in the stands

watching the game.

[Nichols] The Cats face

another long road trip to North Georgia,

heading four hours

up the west side of Atlanta,

to take on the Carrollton Trojans.

[Propst] Maturity.

Just knowing how to act, you know?

It's just not

a lot of rah-rah stuff, you know?

That's how you handle your business,

in a serious manner.

It's a big game.

Biggest game of my career, so far.

This game can determine

if we go to state championship or not.

Like, during the season,

we had trouble being one unit.

We're starting to come together more.

Last couple years

we've been put out the third round,

but I don't want

that same feeling this year.

I feel we can take it all the way.

[Propst] Listen up.

Understand, you're here to rest

and focus on what we're supposed to do.

That's the reason you're here.

There are two things, two rules.

One is you're not allowed

to use that phone.

What's up, man? You got a cellular device?

[man] I need the phones.

We run the same rules as some of

the best programs in the country.

Number two,

there will be tape

on the outside of your door.

That tape's broke?

You don't play.

Put your lights out

and get your butt in bed.

I didn't take this job

just to come in here and win games.

I took this job

to put this thing back on the top,

and I'm not gonna stop now.

We're gonna get it done.

[intense music playing]

Yeah, let's roll.

[Mitchell] Everybody say ♪

[players, softly] Amen ♪

[Mitchell] Everybody say ♪

[players] Amen ♪

Everybody say ♪

Amen, amen, amen ♪

[Mitchell] The last time.

And all the Cats say ♪

[louder] Amen ♪

- All the Cats say ♪

- Amen ♪

- All the Cats say ♪

- Amen, amen, amen ♪

- All the Cats say ♪

- [loudly] Amen! ♪

Amen! Amen! Amen! Amen! ♪

The only team

that can beat the Wildcats is who?

[players] The Wildcats!

That's the only team I ever known.

The only team

that can beat the Wildcats is who?

The Wildcats!

- Do you want it?

- Yes!

[commentator 1]

Welcome to Grisham Stadium,

home of the Carrollton Trojans.

It's the third round

of the state playoffs.

It doesn't get any better than this

for our two storied programs.

And here they come.

[commentator 2] Look up

"high school football in Georgia."

Valdosta always pops up

and Carrollton always pops up.

[commentator 1] Here come the Trojans,

once again with the lights flashing.

[crowd cheering]

And we are underway.

[Amari] Motown! Motown!

They're gonna pass, looking underneath.

Caught by Tajh Sanders,

Lee Evans knocks him out of bounds.

The pass mid-field, first down.

- Buddy, buddy, buddy.

- [Amari] Hey, buddy! Buddy!

Jones takes the snap. Looking.

Can't get home. He's gonna run.

Go!

[Sutton] Go, go, and go.

- Go. Go.

- Fifteen, he's inside the ten.

- Okay, Amari!

- Gonna be first end goal for Valdosta.

Not bad.

Use fire. Block club. Ready!

The ball is literally touching

[laughs] Touching the end line here.

Handed off to the running back.

This time he got it easily.

Touchdown Valdosta.

Man, what a drive.

[Amari exclaims] Let's go!

[Propst] Let's go!

Keep raising your intensity level.

Y'all act

Remember, they keep coming.

They ain't gonna lay down!

Hurry it up. Go score on defense.

Trojans gotta get something going

on offense.

Collins, looking to throw.

They got the screen set up

and it is intercepted!

[Grayson yelling excitedly]

Hit and throw forward

for a Wildcat touchdown.

Just like that, it's 14 to nothing.

Let's go! Let's go!

Let's go. Good job, buddy.

Here in quarter number two, McCauley,

rolling to his right, max protect on,

McCauley looking to throw.

Got Ace Williamson and it's caught!

Across midfield to the 48-yard line.

Nice play call there.

- Hand me!

- Calls for the signal.

Takes the snap.

Right side touchdown! Trojans.

Damn it!

And the lights are flickering here

in Grisham Stadium once again.

Nice response for the Trojans.

Hey, we gotta protect and we gotta cover!

So go in at half the lead.

[Amari] Motown! Motown!

[commentator 1] It's third and long.

Jones take the snap.

He's gonna take off and run.

And we will bring him down!

No.

Go down. Three and out.

Four thousand. Four thousand.

[commentator 1] I call high ball!

High ball!

Martinez is running.

He's gonna abandon it in the end zone.

And it's a safety.

It's unbelievable!

[Amari] Hey! That's on me?

[Propst] It was way high over his head!

Start good

and then g*dd*mn sh*t down our leg.

Everybody's goddang tired.

Walking around

needing g*dd*mn oxygen and tired?

That's bullshit!

Chickenshit. Ain't got no guts.

[commentator 1] 24 minutes left,

and somebody sees that the Trojans

trail the Valdosta Wildcats,

14 to 9.

Hurry up!

Y'all act like you're goddamned tired,

'cause you ain't got no g*dd*mn guts!

How mentally tough we are will be

the determining factor of whether we win.

How tough you are.

Right now, I ain't sure we're tough.

Now we gotta go battle our a*s off

Battle our a*s off to win the game.

So go take over the second half.

We had the game taken over,

but now all we gotta do

is win the second half.

- Everyone understand?

- Yes, sir.

Go win the game! Let's go! Let's go!

[commentator 1]

Get ready to rock and roll.

McCauley looking to pass.

Going for Briscoe.

- Right side!

- [commentator 2] What a catch!

- [commentator 1] Touchdown!

- I knew that was coming tonight. I knew.

[commentator 2] What a throw

by James McCauley!

[commentator 1] Goes up,

gets one-on-one coverage,

and scores it for a Trojan touchdown.

Now 15 to 14.

[Sutton] How does that happen?!

We gotta go score!

- [Sutton] Listen.

- Yes, sir?

This is where you man up.

- Yes, sir.

- You hear me?

- Yes, sir.

- But y'all calm down.

We gotta come back now.

All right. Just beat that guy.

How you want the ball?

On the outside shoulder?

- You wanna post it or you wanna fake ball?

- Post.

You want post?

[coach] R and a zone right book.

R and a zone right book.

Come on, man! Come on, man!

- Playing off the receivers.

- Come on!

Jones, looking to throw. Pass is complete.

Let's go, Sherm!

Sherman, 15.

Sherman tackled inside the five.

[Sherman] They can't guard us.

We have got to get in the end zone, guys.

They're gonna keep it.

Jones tries to get outside!

- Touchdown!

- He's Touchdown!

Go! Go! Go! Go! Go!

[crowd cheering]

[Propst] Two, two. Two! Two! Two!

[announcer] Valdosta sets up

for a three-point conversion.

- [commentator 2] Big play.

- [commentator 1] Heavyweight.

Gonna be free ♪

[commentator 1] Bad snap! Bad snap!

- Let's see what they can do with it.

- Throw it!

[commentator 1]

They're gonna throw it! Got it. Wow.

[Propst] That was a play!

[commentator 2] Rush Propst just bumped

his fist at the Carrollton coaching staff.

[emotional pop song playing]

[commentator 1]

22 to 15, Wildcats lead.

Take 'em down.

Let's go make a tackle.

McCauley takes the snap,

looking to his left.

[Peak] He cleaned him out.

Even my mama ain't clean that

[Kent] He's fighting with fire tonight.

You fighting with fire tonight!

That's how you take over a game!

Eighty-yard grab!

Game's over!

Eighty-yard grab!

Running up the middle with Vincent.

Go! Go!

Thirty-five, 40, 50, 40

Derrick Witherspoon's trying to get him.

He's not gonna get him.

Touchdown!

Wildcats, 86 yards.

[Amari] I love you, boy! Let's get it!

[Trojans fan] Going to the crib.

Them boys going home, third round.

And we're just gonna watch

this precious clock tick on down.

Final score here tonight,

Valdosta, 36, Trojans, 15.

[commentator 3] Wildcat fans,

Coach Propst has Valdosta

moving on to the state semifinals

for the first time in five years.

I love you, Coach!

The Cats will be looking for an upset

against the 11-1 Buford Wolves,

to take the next step

towards their championship dream.

It's a little dream ♪

But it's the little things

That are big in a small town ♪

My kind of living

Ain't made for the city ♪

No, it don't slow down one bit ♪

And all we got is some mom-and-pops ♪

Smoking ribs in a tin-roofed pit ♪

Yeah, I got a few good friends ♪

Yeah, I got a beautiful wife ♪

Yeah, I got a picket fence ♪

Yeah, it's a beautiful life ♪

Where a little bit of money

Goes a long, long way ♪

And a little bit of seed

Makes a whole lot of grain ♪

A little piece of heaven's

Where I'm trying to stay ♪

'Cause yeah, at the end of the day ♪

It's a tire swing by a river stream ♪

That's running down behind my house ♪

Yeah, it's a little dream ♪

But it's the little things

That are big in a small town ♪

Hell yeah