In 1962, Floyd County High School fielded its first-ever football team. I was on that team as we traveled to Rural Retreat to play our first varsity game. We got our butts kicked 56-0. I remember coach Bob Statzer screaming at us during halftime and telling us that we should be ashamed to go home if we didn’t at least score one touchdown. We felt about 1-inch tall. Then, after the game, he slapped all of us on the back and said “don’t worry about it men. Put it behind you.” It didn’t make us feel any better and we went on to lose every game that season.

Those memories came back Friday night after the 75-mile drive to Rural Retreat to watch the Indians give the Buffaloes an old-fashioned whipping 40-0.

We never were in the game and when a Rural Retreat High School player (above) intercepted a pass from Floyd County quarterback Matthew Browning late in the 4th quarter, it just added insult to injury. Browning threw three interceptions and this last one capped the only long drive of the night by the team.

That left the fans who make the trek with little to get excited about even even though the cheerleaders tried mightily (right) to stir up some enthusiasm.

Coming off last year when the team lost only one regular season game, coach Winfred Beale knows he has a long way to go with his 0-2 Buffaloes.

“Right now we’re a work in progress,” he says.

Hopefully, that work will show some progress at next week’s homecoming when we face Patrick County.