Snowflake vs Round Valley. Snowflake Homecoming. Big Game. Once again it was Friday, and time to get out on the road traveling as the traveling man. Nice cool evening for football with a full house in Snowflake. Snowflake has been improving week by week and led by one of the true gentleman in the coaching ranks, Ron Tenney.

On the Round Valley sidelines you have former University of Arizona linebacker who played for the Seattle Seahawks for several years and who is no stranger to small town football as he came from St. Johns High School in St. Johns, Arizona. Marcus Bell had taken the head coach position last year and being a very small program has had to play teams from schools with much larger populations. His team was sort of like David in taking on another Goliath.

Coach Bell had his team well prepared and his kids played their hearts out. 0 to 0 at the end of the first half. Hard hitting and a fun game to work. Snowflake scores and Round Valley comes back and ties Snowflake and we head to OT with the score 7 to 7. Snowflake wins in OT 14 to 7 in maybe one of the best games I have ever worked.

Snowflake overcame some critical penalties that negated some big runs and even a score. They never gave up and eventually secured the win with an interception in the end zone to end the game.

When you get on the road and travel 90 miles each way to get there, you better be doing it because you like the game and tonight was a classic. After the game, our officiating crew got to stop by Shane Walker’s house and he fixed us dinner. No not any ordinary dinner but steak, asparagus, mashed potatoes, and some chocolate chip cookies that his wife had made. It was great. What a great finish to a great game.

Speaking of Shane, he grew up in Round Valley and him and his family have recently moved to Snowflake. He works in Show Low. I told him he could end up being the most hated man in the mountains since he has ties everywhere. His Dad even told me to let him know that he might not be welcome for any family reunions for another 10 years. Funny stuff that happens that nobody ever knows about.

Thank God for some good ole Friday Night Football. Of course, I jump back in the car, head down the highway, dodge the elk, finally arriving home.

Almost every time that I have been in Snowflake, the PA system blasts my favorite AC DC song, Thunderstruck. Once again, it was playing through the speakers in Snowflake, AZ. I know when the song comes on, I get my game on. So in honor of Snowflake, here is Thunderstruck.