Deer Creek-Lamont Playing For Sarah Ray

News9.com

LAMONT, Oklahoma – The Deer Creek-Lamont Eagles haven't lost a football game since December of 2009, but the student body still knows what it feels like to suffer a loss.

Deer Creek-Lamont High School student Sarah Ray was killed in a car accident after the Eagles' Sept. 23 win against Medford.

Eagles quarterback Lawson Thompson said he remembered Ray leaving from the game that night.

"We all saw her just go over there and get into the car, and I guess little did we know that was going to be the last time we'd ever see her," he said.

The Eagles are two-time defending state champions in Class C, so the motivation was always there to go out and defending that title.

But now, there is more than just a title to honor.

DCLA running back Connor Kirby said the team has been practicing and playing even harder than usual in memory of Ray.

The team is also donning purple wristbands in her honor, because they said purple was Ray's favorite color.

Kirby said one thing they've learned is that life can be short and you never know what's going to happen.

"We've had adversity this past week," he said. "Now we just have to overcome it, and hopefully come back and win state again."