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It was the type of game that is really fun to watch — that is, if you’re sitting at home by the fireplace watching it on TV.
But struggling through Saturday’s second round, Division II playoff football game at the quagmire that was Shuford Stadium was no fun.
You can talk about it being “football weather” but that’s a bunch of baloney. Catawba College’s 20-14 loss to Delta State was not football.
It was a mess. An absolute freaking mess.
Delta State brought the muddy Mississippi with them to Salisbury and you had to expect that. Rain follows this team. It was the fourth straight Saturday the Statesmen of Steve Campbell had played on a mucky field. They were used to it. And, by the way, they are a running team.
On the other hand, sunshine has followed Catawba.
“This is the first rainy, muddy, sloshy game we’ve had in two years,” confessed Catawba coach David Bennett. The Indians, by the way, are a passing team.
So, that’s the story of the South Region title game.
“It forced us to do some things offensively and took away our passing game,” Bennett explained. “The conditions changed our normal offensive plan.”
Shrugging, Bennett added, “They were better mudders than we were.”
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A guy like Mitch Ellis works and works and works to become the best athlete he can be. He goes out on Saturdays to prove it. He is an entertainer.
Throughout the first 11 games of this season — all wins — the senior quarterback entertained. Oh, how he entertained. He would throw 30 or so passes, rack up over 200 yards and toss a couple of touchdown passes for all of those loyal fans who have watched him since he was a little tyke growing up in northern Rowan County.
And he accomplished it all on dry football fields. Last week, for instance, in a 28-24 win over West Georgia, it was cold — but dry. And he slung it 45 times, completing 27 for a career-high 380 yards.
By halftime Saturday, Ellis, the throwing machine, had slung it all of four times.
Four times? Ellis even admitted he hadn’t thrown that few passes in a half since his little league days.
But it was raining. Pouring. The players could hardly stand, much less run precision routes.
“That field gets pretty bad when it rains,” Bennett said. “It’s a totally different surface out there.”
“At first, the ball was OK,” Ellis said. “But it got waterlogged and started getting heavy. Icouldn’t get a grip on the ball.”
“The passing goes from pinpoint to just giving the guy a chance to catch it,” said Bennett.
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It wasn’t like we didn’t know this was coming. On Wednesday, the weather channel showed the five-day forecast. Every day through Sunday was sunny and 50-something.
Except Saturday, where the forecast was 35 and yucky.
“We told our kids all week long it was probably going to be cold and rainy,” said Bennett. “But even if you’re mentally strong, it’s hard to hold on to a waterlogged ball.”
It was difficult to even stand up. On the opening kickoff, Jamel Jackson raced downfield. He may as well have been on a slip ‘n’ slide. He became the first player to hit the slush.
After only two series, the Catawba uniforms looked like they had been dipped in caramel. Forget colors like white and blue. Everyone was a Cleveland Brown on this day.
Players stood on the sidelines ankle-deep in water. It was the school’s own version of the Catawba River.
A man stood on the sidelines with a huge plastic bag full of dry balls.
And then, there was defensive line coach Jim Tomsula, who was wearing — we ain’t kiddin’ — shorts.
“I’m from Pittsburgh,” he announced, “and this is nothing but another summer day in Pittsburgh.”
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The players enjoyed the game because they enjoy playing football. But they did not enjoy the weather.
Defensive lineman Radell Lockhart came to the sidelines once and appeared injured. A concerned trainer was seen talking to him.
Was it his arm? His leg? His knee?
“No, I had mud in my eyes,” said the SAC Defensive Player of the Year.
Dyran Peake, a senior safety, wasn’t having a good time, either.
“I’ve never been in a game like this,” he said. “You try to block it out and play but it’s tough. I know a couple of times, I didn’t make tackles I usually make. With the wetness, they just slipped out.”
The only players who seem to enjoy it were the Statesmen.
“It’s like playing in the backyard with a bunch of your buddies,” said quarterback Josh Bright, who might as well have been Katarina Witt the way he skated across the mud slick with flair.
At game’s end, Campbell was anticipating a trip to Fargo, North Dakota next week to meet North Dakota State. The temperature is supposed to be 10 below. But get this. The game will be in a domed stadium.
“We’re going to set off the fire alarm so they’ll let the water come down,” Campbell laughed.
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Peake sat sullenly in the locker room afterward. There was nothing to laugh about. No reason to smile. The Indians thought they were going all the way.
“We really did. I still feel this team is capable of winning the national championship,” Peake said.
Rashad Smith, another senior defensive lineman, said he’ll remember this team for its unity and its fierce heart.
Peake said, despite losing 16 senior starters, it wouldn’t shock him to see Catawba back in the playoffs next year.
“People say we’re losing a lot of good seniors,” he said. “But people don’t know what’s in this locker room. They won’t be rebuilding next year. They’re going to be reloading.”
Bennett loves that kind of talk. There Peake was, his career over but yet, he talked about next year. He was like all of those seniors — a class act.
“The thing that hurts is knowing these seniors will never put on the Catawba uniform again,” Bennett said. “But I’ll tell you this, there aren’t many seniors who won 22 ballgames in two years like these guys did. Even though we didn’t win on the football field today, they’re all winners.”
Then, somebody brought up the harsh weather. Again.
“In this world, you never get everything you want,” he sighed. “You can’t have a beautiful, sunny day every Saturday.”
But having 11 beautiful Saturdays out of 12 ain’t bad, Coach.
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Ronnie Gallagher is the sports editor of the Post.
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Ronnie