The football team played its infamous rivalry match-up, Battle of the Axe (BOTA), on Friday, Nov. 8 at Max Goldsmith Stadium. The game ended in a 42-42 tie, resulting in the faceoff extending into overtime. A touchdown from Marcus moved the final score to 48-42. Due to the closeness of the scores, the crowd was engaged the entire time, contributing to an energetic atmosphere.

“My favorite part of the BOTA game was definitely the atmosphere,” junior quarterback Landon Webster (16) said. “It was super cool being able to be a part of that environment, regardless of the outcome. Our community came out to support the team and be there for us. It was more than just 11 guys on the field.”

Throughout the game, the teams remained close in score. Despite losing the game in such a tense way, the players enjoyed the opportunity to show the community what they were capable of on the field.

“We gave it everything we had,” senior wide receiver Tony Thomas (13) said. “We practiced all week and played as hard as we could.”

The dedication of the team to the game contributed to the tight competition and energetic plays. The coaching staff is proud of the players for putting their hearts on the field during the game.

“Our defense made some really big stops and got some turnovers in the third quarter,” head football coach Michael Odle said. “I was really proud of them for just bowing their neck when they could’ve just given up. Offensively, we had some big fourth down conversions and big passes from Taylen to Tony for touchdowns. Those were huge plays that were just electric.”

After the game, the players were disappointed. But when Odle gave them a pep talk on Monday, the focus shifted to the future: playoffs. For the first round of playoffs, the team will play Southlake Carroll at Dragon Stadium on Friday, Nov. 15.

“We came back Monday after the game and coach Odle sat down with us before practice and said, ‘Look, all things aside, we’re still in the playoffs and we’re still a good team,’” Webster said. “He was excited, he was pumped. It put everybody in a good mood.”

Last year, the team advanced to the playoffs and won the first round against Keller, earning the title of bi-district champions. Before advancing to the playoffs last year, the Farmers went 11 years without qualifying.

“We’re excited for the opportunity to go get to play such a historic program at a really cool setting to really see where we are as a program,” Odle said. “We’ve come a long way in the last two or three years. We’re up to the challenge and we’re not backing down.”

The team plans to continue raising expectations in future seasons. The players and coaches want to return to playoffs year after year to compete for a title. They plan to show what they are capable of at the match against Southlake. Despite losing the axe to Marcus, the team keeps its head high and takes the loss in stride as it prepares for the first round of playoffs.

“We don’t want this to feel like a one-time thing,” Webster said. “We want to take opportunities when we get them. We’re definitely gonna do that; we’re going to hold on and ride with it as long as we physically can. It’s not something that we want to make rare. We want to make the underclassmen understand this is something we’re going to go to and compete for every year. [We want] to show that Lewisville football will always be a contender.”