It looked bleak for the Roos.
Down 30-20 to Waco with less than three minutes remaining, it looked like Killeen was going to suffer its first loss of the season.
But good teams find a way to rally and great teams find a way to win.
Killeen which is now 7-0 with the win, might just be the latter.
Thanks to the arm and legs of Michael Cummings, the Roos scored twice int the final two minutes of the game. The final score coming on a 4 yard pass to Du”Juan Sylvester with 5 seconds left.
Doubters will call what they did luck.
Coaches will call it experience and prepartion. The romanitics of the world – those of rose-colored glasses – will call it pure heart and desire.
There is no arguing that there is a time when even the best teams will be challanged, when it will be pushed to the brink and a team”s luck, experience and heart will be tested all at once.
when it comes down to it though championship-caliber teams find a way to win week after week.
And the close ones? Those are the wins they can really build on.
Roos coach Sam Jones believe a win is a win, but also knows sometimes more good can come out of a tight win than a blowout.
“to win one like that can bring a team together and give them more confidence.” Jones said. “Also it wakes us up . We know now we can’t wait for the third or fourth quarter to start playing We have to get it going in the first one”.
This was not even Killeen’s first test and maybe that is why they won.
Against Ellison the Roos were down 25-21 in the fourth quarter, but Jaquail Haskins scored a late touchdown and Killeen picked up the season-opening win over its 31 year city rival.
“This is what we practice every week – every day” said Jones. “We practice the onside kicks. We practice the two minute drills.”
” The team has played in major games and knows how to handle it.”
Killeen, in other words, has experience.
Cummings and receiver Da”Juan Sylvester gained every yard on Killeen’s eight play final drive. With a first and goal at the Waco 4 yard line but just 10 seconds left, Cummings threw complete to Sylvester on the Roos’ sideline. With his momentum carrying him out of bounds Sylvester dove from the 2 yard line and landed in the end zone, giving Killeen it first win over Waco in 10 years and first 7-0 start since 1980.
by Nick Talbot, Killeen Daiy Herald.