“In the same way, the last shall be first, and the first shall be last, because many are called, but few are chosen.” — Matthew 20:16

In many ways, Baylor’s Floyd Casey Stadium will be the site of some significant firsts today. After more than a year of planning, the Heart of Texas Fellowship of Christian Athletes will unveil the first-ever Super Centex Victory Bowl, an all-star football game for area high school seniors.

Yet for some of those very players, this game will mark a dramatic ending to a chapter in their lives. For some, it will be the last football game they ever play.

Dozens of the 94 players slated to participate in the Victory Bowl have college scholarships to continue their football playing days at the next level. But for others, this game will mark their final gridiron curtain call — a game that they couldn’t have foreseen when their senior seasons ended.

Axtell’s Weston Popham is one such player. Popham, who will play quarterback for the Red team, said getting the phone call from his coach Mike Cadell that he’d been selected for the Victory Bowl was like a dead man getting a second chance at life.

“It’s awesome. You have no idea how excited I am to play in this,” Popham said. “I’m a little nervous. . . . When (Cadell) called me and told me I’d probably be playing in this game, I thought, ‘Well, it’s not over yet. I’ve got one more, at least.’ ”

Like Popham, Texas Christian Academy’s Evan Grimes figured his football career was done when he played the final game of his senior year. Even after earning a selection to the Victory Bowl, Grimes said he didn’t truly appreciate the opportunity until this week rolled around.

“I wasn’t really focused on it at the time,” said Grimes, who will attend McLennan Community College in the fall. “I was like, ‘OK, I appreciate it.’ I was playing other sports and was kind of focused on that, but when the school year ended, I said, ‘Oh yeah, I have that football thing.’ I was pretty excited about it after school was over, to get to play football again.”

Troy running back Jeremy Conrad has scholarship offers from Sterling (Kan.) College and Lon Morris Junior College, and is still mulling over his options. Though Conrad said he thinks many players — himself included — could try to use a stage like this game as a chance to audition for college scouts.

“There will be some colleges out there with maybe one last (scholarship) pick,” he said. “Somebody might have a chance to go to some other schools.”

Waco High's Paul Robinson (right) helps teammate Michael Pendleton adjust his pads and jersey prior to a team photo for the Super Centex Victory Bowl earlier this week. (Duane A. Laverty photo)

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Members of the Red team and cheerleaders for the Super Centex Victory Bowl line up for a team photo Wednesday at Baylor's Floyd Casey Stadium. The inaugural game is set for 6:30 p.m. today. (Duane A. Laverty photo)

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For every player involved, today’s game also offers another chance to earn a win. Since only state champions end the playoffs in victory, the vast majority of Victory Bowl players saw their senior years end in defeat — a fact they’d love to correct today.

“It’s nice to put a good touch on my senior year,” said Midway’s Terrence Holloman, who will play at Tarleton State in the fall. “The last time I was on a football field (a playoff loss to Longview), it wasn’t so pleasant. But now I can end it on a positive note with this all-star game.”

“It’s real good that my last game wasn’t my last game,” Troy’s Conrad said. “Since we went to the playoffs, our last game was a loss. You don’t want to end on that.”

Other players said that while winning is obviously the goal, it isn’t necessarily the be-all, end-all point of this week.

“The goal is to win, but this game is just a game,” Valley Mills lineman Clayton Prosser said. “It’s not for a trophy, it’s not for money, it’s just a game. I’m trying to take it all in stride and enjoy my four days while I’m here.”

Like a lot of young men from Texas small towns, Prosser said he realizes football is “embedded into the mind-set” of the folks in Valley Mills.

For him, it was a joy to play, and Prosser said he’ll be eternally grateful to have one final chance to experience that joy thanks to the Victory Bowl.

“After it’s all over, you don’t really think about (it being your last game),” Prosser said. “Once it sets in, you really want that one more game. For us to get this one more chance, it’s really kind of mind-blowing.”

bcherry@wacotrib.com

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