By Ryleigh Watson | Howard Payne football’s season closed as they took on one of their biggest rivals– the University of Mary-Hardin Baylor.
UMHB has been a big competitor against HPU. It is the game of the season every player waits for and is eager to hit the field for.
Grad student James Jakubowski, the defensive end from Tatum, Texas, was one of the players ready to face off head-to-head with the Crusaders.
“They’re a historically great team and are the number one team in the nation, so being able to play them is always an opportunity to prove ourselves,” said Jakubowski.
Senior Jarett Brown, from West Columbia, Texas, is the cornerback for the HPU football team. Brown has been a leader on the HPU football team this past season, and he did not plan to get out of the role before the game.
“We are really looking for leadership from myself, Kyle Bell, Jimmie Jakubowski, Otis Lanier, and Landon McKinney,” said Brown.
HPU football looked forward to the game and prepared for it through each practice and through the previous games they faced throughout the season.
“We prepare for this team with passion and energy. We know they will make plays, so preparing for them is never easy. A huge part of our preparation is our mentality and conditioning,” said Jakubowski. “Mentally, we need to be locked in for four quarters and trust in the game plan. The conditioning aspect plays into us having to play a 4 quarter-game. This is a great team, and we need to be able to play 4 quarters of our best football.”
Each of the players has goals set and knows what they need to achieve during the game.
“A goal we share as a defense is to keep the Crusaders under 100 yards of rushing. On offense, it’s to light up the scoreboard and run the ball. Establishing the line of scrimmage is essential in this game on both sides of the ball,” said Jakubowski.
“We have been preparing by telling them just one play at a time, one day at a time, and take everything step by step,” said Brown.
The HPU football team leans on each other but also leans on the fans to keep them motivated and help them get through the game.
“Even on bad plays, when we hear the crowd backing us up, being as loud as possible, it is motivation to go back out there,” said Jakubowski
Jakubowski and Brown started the game with senior day and were recognized for all they have done for the Howard Payne athletics program.
As the game began the Yellow Jackets started the game off strong with a lead of 10-7 at the end of the first quarter. However, fell behind in the second quarter. HPU came out after halftime and tied with the Crusaders 24-24 with six minutes left, but in the last two seconds, the Crusaders kicked a field goal.
The Yellow Jackets fought hard but fell short by three points.
The players played to the best of their abilities and left the field with tears in their eyes but peace of mind with how they played.
“Being able to play at this caliber of a team is always a blessing. It’s what every football player dreams of as a kid,” said Jakubowski.
Brown made it on the charts by being one of the defensive leaders of the game with six tackles.
Jakubowski and Brown ended their last game on the Gordon-Wood Stadium field on a loss but nothing less than love for the game they have played during their college years.