Meeting Colts, holding flag highlight trip to Lucas Oil for South Putnam Eagles

Monday, August 26, 2013
Colts punter Pat McAfee (1) introduces himself to the South Putnam juniors and seniors prior to Saturday's win against the Cleveland Browns. (Banner Graphic/GRANT WIEMAN)

INDIANAPOLIS -- "You mean Andrew Luck is going to be standing like five feet away from me?"

South Putnam senior Sawyer Arnold and his teammates knew they were going to take the field prior to the Colts preseason game on Saturday against the Browns, but the reality of the situation didn't start to set in until the team's practice at Lucas Oil Stadium earlier in the afternoon.

Upon getting their instructions, the juniors and seniors for the Eagles started to imagine the evening ahead. Stand on the sideline before the game; walk in front of the Colts bench; have the best football players in the world, impatiently waiting for the game of their own, hopping around just a few feet away.

"We were getting to meet Colts players and we were shaking hands with them," senior Taylor Arnold said. "They were running between us all pumped up, jacked up, wishing us luck for the season. That was pretty awesome."

The moment arrived and while some Eagles were still shaking with excitement, the gratuitously large American Flag came streaming across the field toward them.

Senior on South Putnam's football team pose at midfield during practice on Saturday afternoon. (Banner Graphic/GRANT WIEMAN)

South Putnam won a chance to hold the flag during the Star Spangled Banner and practice at "the Luke" by having the largest turnout, by school population, during a state-wide blood drive contest this summer.

The whole high school program was invited to practice on the home field of the Colts and the juniors and seniors got to hold the American Flag during the pregame ceremony.

As they stood in front of the Colts bench, waiting for their ostensible job to begin, several Colts players skipped pass and shook hands with all the Eagles. Iconic punter Pat McAfee went out of his way to do so.

"I did not know they were going to be there, but it looked like a pretty sweet opportunity for them," he said. "I mean, I feel like if I was in high school and I had that chance it would be cool, and it would be even cooler if a guy came and said what's up to me."

Cool might not be the best way to describe it.

"This is pretty epic," Taylor Arnold said. "I shook hands with Pat McAfee! That's probably the highlight of 2013 for me right now. It's pretty awesome. There's no other words for it."

McAfee said the moment stood out for him as well.

"Hopefully the year will get better for him so he'll have a better highlight for 2013 than me saying 'what's up' to him, but those kids were nice," he said. "They were all very polite, which we appreciate, and hopefully it'll be a moment they'll remember forever."

Of all the things that happened on Saturday, that moment stood out most for senior Tyler Neumann, too.

"Being able to see the most coolest punter in the whole NFL and being able to shake his hand and everything (was unforgettable)," senior Tyler Neumann said.

Most of the seniors had been to Lucas Oil Stadium before. The team lost to Tri-West at the venue during week two last season.

That experience was nothing compared to standing in front of the sold-out crowd of 65,626 on Saturday.

"Not even close," Neumann said. "There's thousands and thousands of people just watching you and the big screen and everything."

The Eagles began their 2013 season on Friday night with a 26-0 win at Owen Valley. Ranked No. 5 in the preseason, South Putnam was one of just seven 1A schools in the state to record a shutout in week one, and was the only team to shut out a larger opponent. Owen Valley is 4A.

"Hopefully they'll keep it going," McAfee said." They're a good group of kids. They did a great job holding the flag, too -- not to go unnoticed."

The Colts players' were complimentary of more than just flag-holding and demeanor.

"They congratulated us on our win last night," senior Derrick Mitchell said, correcting himself. "Our shutout."

The Eagles had high expectations placed on them before the season and, through one week, they've done everything to live up to them. With the top two teams in 1A losing in week one, the Eagles are likely to rise in the rankings even further this week.

Getting back to Lucas Oil Stadium on Nov. 29 to play in the state championship is a dream all the SPHS players share, and that dream got a little more tangible on Saturday night.

They got a taste of running around on the turf. They got a taste of having all those eyes staring at them. Now they want more. Now they want back.

"I want to try as hard as I can to get back here again," Neumann said. "That'd be even better."

Junior running back Lucas Lorian (25) scoots around a blocker during a walk-through on Saturday. Despite their impressive win on Friday night, head coach Troy Burgess (right) had the Eagles were right back to working on execution on Saturday afternoon at Lucas Oil Stadium.

See a photo gallery of the trip to Lucas Oil here.

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  • As a mother of one of the team members,I would like to thank Nikki Watson for all her help in making this happen. A little birdie told me that none of the events from this weekend would have happened without her assistance. Thank you Mrs. Watson for everything you do... it doesn't go unnoticed by everyone :)

    -- Posted by bigmomma40 on Mon, Aug 26, 2013, at 2:50 PM
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