MUNCIE, Ind - For the last nine years, Delta head football coach Chris Overholt has called the Eagles’ football field his second home. After every home game in his tenure, he has met with his family on the track, no matter the result.
“[The support] is just amazing,” Overholt said. “I have a huge extended family too. They are always here rain or shine and their support means everything.”
To his wife, Allison, the moment is even more special because their two daughters have grown up doing so every Friday night.
But with the recent news of Chris becoming the assistant principal at the high school and that this would be his last season as the blue and gold’s commander-in-chief, Friday’s 42-7 loss to Greenfield-Central could have been the last time – depending on the sectional draw – doing so on the field.
“It’s very bittersweet because he’s coached [since my] my daughters [were born] and they don’t know anything different,” she said. “They like the team meals and being a part of the team.”
But for Chris, he was more worried about his team’s performance than anything else.
“Well, you don’t want a running clock on the last one,” he said, laughing. “I’ll have time at the end of the season to think about those emotions. I’m just sad this is how our seniors ended their [final] regular season home game.”
The contest started in favor of the blue and gold as senior Bryce Stroble found the end zone on the Eagles’ opening drive of the game with a rushing score. However, the Cougars tied the game on their first offensive drive, and after that, it was all Greenfield-Central.
“We were a tremendous team last week, but we were not that team this week,” Overholt said. “...The wolf on top of the hill was not as hungry as the wolf climbing the hill.”
Penalties, missed tackles and other mistakes plagued Delta throughout all four quarters of play. However, Overholt was not surprised as he said the team did not have the best effort in practice this week.
Delta senior starting quarterback Bronson Edwards agreed with that statement as he saw a difference that didn’t match the energy the blue and gold had last Friday when they defeated Pendleton Heights 27-26.
“Last week, we were really excited to play,” he said. “Being on fall break [this week], everybody was numb [in practice]. There was no excitement and I think that translated to tonight.”
With the loss, Delta drops to 4-4 and 2-4 in the Hoosier Heritage Conference (HHC). Going forward, the Eagles’ path does not get any easier as they face New Palestine – the No. 1 team in the HHC – on the road Friday, Oct. 18.
With that being the final game of the Eagles’ regular season schedule, both players and coaches know they have things to figure out.
“To me, it just sucks going out there and losing by 35 in our last guaranteed home game,” Edwards said. “But, I do think it will help prepare us for the tournament.”
In other scores around the county, Yorktown fell to Pendleton Heights 28-0, Muncie Central was defeated 38-7 by Marion and Wes-Del topped Union 54-0.
Contact Zach Carter via email at zachary.carter@bsu.edu or on X @ZachCarter85.
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