OA seniors visited teammate Ethan Loewald at Children's Hospital w/ the D2 Finalist Trophy right after the game. pic.twitter.com/LOcYtnEDRU
— Ryan Lanigan (@R_Lanigan) November 12, 2013
When it comes to playoffs, all of that can be taken away in an instant. No matter the ending, it hurts - bad, especially for seniors. It's even worse if you've put in all of that effort and miss the final game with your teammates.
Oliver Ames boys soccer had their run come to an end in the D2 South Sectional Finals in a 2-0 loss to Walpole. You could see the players' emotion after the game during the trophy presentation.
But for the Tigers, their day wasn't over. And though they lost the game, they finished the day as true winners.
Chris McDaniels explained for The Brockton Enterprise:
During player introductions at the Division 2 South Sectional final on Nov. 11, the Oliver Ames High boys soccer team had one player absent – Ethan Loewald.
Loewald, one of the team’s seniors, was in Boston Children’s Hospital instead of on the pitch at Braintree High.
“We wanted to be there as a family for our final game,” said senior captain Gaston Cetrangolo. “He was part of the team, We didn’t get there unless he was part of the team.”
Two days before the final, Loewald had complained of pain in his chest and went to the hospital on Sunday, the day before the game.
Loewald’s left lung had collapsed. On Tuesday, Loewald underwent surgery to remove the part of the lung that was non-functional.
During OA’s , South Sectional final against Walpole, Loewald checked Twitter for updates as he lay in his hospital bed.
“I was disappointed to miss the game because it was the final and it was a great opportunity,” said Loewald. “We had made it further (in the tournament) than any OA boys soccer team and I wanted to go support my team.
“I had a lot of things on my mind; it was depressing.”
Despite losing in the final, 2-0, to Walpole, the Tigers refused to dwell on the disappointing end to their season.
Instead, a few hours after the game had ended, Loewald was visited by 11 teammates, 10 of whom were seniors, who brought with them the South Sectional finalist trophy. The players decided on their own to drive to Boston to visit their ailing teammate.
“In my five years of coaching,” said OA coach John Barata, “it’s not the All-Americans or the All-Regionals that I’m most proud of, it’s what my kids did that day.”
#7: Six Players Join The Club
#8: A Shot Worth The Wait
#9: Repeat Sectional Champs
#10: The Rivalry Rematch
#11: Vaulting To The Top
#12: Triple Overtime Thriller
#13: The Brick Wall
#14: Making A Big Splash
#15: The Buzzer Beater
Honorable Mention: The Finalists
2012-2013: The Complete Countdown