It’s been three months since
Utah State University pummeled the University of Toledo in the Famous Idaho
Potato Bowl, but the best football season in Aggie history isn’t over yet.
And it won’t be until
Friday, when the team will hold its annual end-of-season banquet.
There will be plenty to
celebrate.
“This season was huge,” said
defensive lineman Avalisi Lapuaho of the team’s 11-2 finish and Western
Athletic Conference championship. “It was the best season Utah State has seen
and it was amazing to be a part of it all. It was a huge part of my life.”
“This season was the best
experience ever,” said Nick Diaz, a junior kicker from Redondo Beach, Calif.
“We accomplished all of our goals that we set out at the beginning of the
season.”
But things will never be the
same.
Coach Gary Andersen left the
university at the end of the season to assume the head coach position at the
University of Wisconsin. Players were hoping that Andersen would be at the
banquet, but his son, Keegan Anderson, said his father will not be attending
this year.
“It would be great to see
him since he was so influential to the season,” Lapuaho said.
The banquet will include
dinner, remarks from newly appointed head coach Matt Wells, a video
presentation of highlights from the season, team awards and the bestowal of the
WAC and Famous Idaho Potato Bowl rings.
“I’m just excited to be with
my team,” said Alex Wheat Jr., a sophomore wide receiver, “and we get our rings
at the banquet so that is great.”
Jack Doughty, a junior
linebacker, said the annual banquet is a chance to bring the team together one
last time to celebrate its accomplishments before the new season begins.
“Every year is a new team.
Every year you get new guys,” Doughty said. “It’s one last hurrah.”
Tessa Italasano, Ileana Borunda, Clayton Leuba and
Cale Patterson contributed to this article.
No comments:
Post a Comment