One of the Best Touchdowns Ever!

You’ve got to see this YouTube clip. This has got to be one of the best touchdown runs ever in high school football!

Okay, so you need some backstory. The player scoring is Matt Ziesel, a young man from Benton High School here in St. Joseph. He’s a freshman with Down Syndrome that loves football, whom the coaches and staff graciously allowed to be part of the team. The opposing team is from Maryville High School (I’m a 1994 graduate).

The situation? Fourth quarter… 10 seconds to go… Maryville ahead by a large margin. Matt’s on the sideline… “Coach McCamy, I am ready! I am ready Coach!”

Benton calls a timeout. Coaches from Benton run across the field to talk to Maryville coaches, informing them of the situation… the “Matt play” is coming. Players line up… the ball is snapped… and off Matt goes on a 60 yard touchdown romp.

Absolutely heartwarming.

I’m telling you, this is what high school sports is all about. Yeah, Benton lost by a wide margin. But every player on the field walked off a winner.

Benton and Maryville? You should all be proud of your coaches, your kids, and your schools.

(For more on this story, you can check out the Kansas City Star’s coverage online.)