The players were squatting on one knee for the most part and many had their heads down, not meeting the eyes of head coach Sean Crocker and the rest of the staff.

The hurt following the 14-8 loss to Harnett Central was palpable, but so was the pride in the coaches’ voices as they repeatedly told their players to keep their heads up and be proud of the finest football season in school history.

“It hurts when you come so close and come up a little short,” Crocker said. “But you have nothing to be ashamed of. We are so proud of you.”

Later, Crocker said he could not ask for any more effort.

“Against a team like Harnett Central you have to take advantage of every chance you get,” he said. “We had some opportunities, but didn’t take advantage.”

In the first period, for example, the Mustangs drove 55 yards to a first down at the 10. But an interception ended the threat.

Another drive was stopped inside the 30.

“Harnett Central has a great defense,” Crocker said. “We knew they did and they showed it today.”

The N.C. High School Athletic Association third round 4-A football game was moved to Campbell University in Buies Creek because water was standing on the field at Harnett Central.

Playing conditions were also ideal and a huge crowd of over 5,000 filled the stadium to overflowing at Campbell. Two hours before kickoff, the grills were smoking and footballs were being thrown in the parking lot.

The first seats were reserved in the bleachers 90 minutes before game time. Other fans, even some who took off their shirts on the 50 degree day, eventually waited in a line that stretched more than 100 yards to buy their tickets.

In other words, it was almost perfect ... except for the Mustangs.

Middle Creek showed only a few flashes of the passing prowess that helped it set a school record with 12 wins.

Trailing 14-0 in the fourth quarter, the Mustangs galloped downfield behind the passing of junior quarterback Garrett Leatham. Stephen Sladek went the final yard for the touchdown, but Leatham’s passes accounted for all but nine of the 63 yards on the drive. In addition, Leatham ran for six yards on a fourth-and-four situation for the first down at the Central nine.

It was heroic drive, but would not be repeated.

On its next possession, Leatham was harrassed and four passes fell incomplete.

Leatham passed for 168 yards, well below his seasonal average, but he was almost constantly battered by the Central pressure. The Mustangs’ rushing game was hobbled, netting a minus-30 yards.

Middle Creek’s defense was almost as good as Central’s, bending for much of the game, but almost always stopping the Trojans shut of the end zone.

Central topped a 76-yard drive by scoring with 5:42 left in the first period on a one-yard run by Jarrod Spears. He added the second score with 6:13 left in the game on a 25-yard run.

Crocker’s main message in the aftermath was to walk proud and to finish well. He was talking about not just walking off the field, where fans waited to cheer one last time, but also finishing the school year.

Crocker talked about the importance of continuing to work in the classroom and to continue being school leaders. He also mentioned that reaching the third round was not an accident. The players had worked to get there and would have to work hard to return.

Heads were still heavy and hearts were still breaking, but most of the Mustangs made their final walk to the bus with the heads held high, exactly what their coach told them to do.