O NE OF THE
You probably know the story from "It's a Wonderful Life."
The 1946 classic tells the tale of George Bailey, a down-and-out businessman who thinks he has nothing to live for until an angel named Clarence convinces him otherwise.
On Monday, James Monroe football coach Rich Serbay was having a day that George could sympathize with.
Serbay, who also serves as the school's athletic director, had failed to realize his team used an ineligible player this season.
This misstep cost James Monroe six wins, as well as a chance to defend its Division 3 state championship.
The coach and the players were devastated, and they still had one more game to play.
But, as it turns out, this costly mistake brought out the best in a team and its tight-knit community.
On Monday night, the Yellow Jackets rallied around their coach and focused on Courtland rather than what could have been.
By the time JM's 10-6 victory was complete, there was Serbay, engulfed in hugs, pats on the back and words of encouragement.
There were the Yellow Jackets pumping their helmets in the air, some eyes welling with tears.
There were the fans and former players, approaching Serbay one by one and telling him that everything will be all right.
"I feel like the guy in 'It's a Wonderful Life' feels when it gets better at the end," a tear-filled Serbay said afterward. "Now I know how good that feels."
Of course, not everything got better at the end.
The Virginia High School League denied the Yellow Jackets' appeal yesterday, so their season is over.
But, in a way, that makes Monday night's win resonate even more. A win that improved JM's record to 2-8 will be remembered for years to come.
How often does that happen?
How often does the end of a two-win season result in players crying and hugging their coach and telling him they love him?
"It was hard, but we bounced back from adversity," senior quarterback Farkeem French said. "We faced it, and we went out with our heads high."
The Yellow Jackets should be proud of how they handled a difficult situation.
Yes, they would have loved the chance to defend their state crown, but the way they rallied on Monday showed there's more to them than championships.
Their story reverberated throughout their community quickly.
John Jackson, Jamal Smith and DeVontae Atkins, who all starred on last season's state title team, are now freshmen at North Carolina Wesleyan.
When they heard about the Yellow Jackets' setback, they decided to offer their conference championship rings from this season to current JM players, because they lost the chance to win their own.
"They worked too hard for it to end like that," Jackson said yesterday from North Carolina. "They deserve rings."
Courtland showed class in defeat, as well. The Cougars' loss left them out of the regional playoffs, so they had their own concerns.
But when Cougars coach J.C. Hall walked through the post-game handshake line, he stopped, put his hand on Serbay's shoulder and offered his support.
Later, Cougars star defensive end Chris Ragonesi sought out Serbay and told him he was sorry for what had happened to his team.
"It's absolutely unbelievable, the support we've received," Serbay said. "I was down, and people picked me up."
And, for a night, these Yellow Jackets earned their wings.
Adam Himmelsbach: 540/374-5442
Email: ahimmelsbach@freelancestar.com