Beyond the Playbook: Proctor boys soccer honoring late coach with state run

This past Wednesday saw multiple prep soccer teams punch their ticket to the state tournament, one of those teams, the Proctor Rails boys squad.

Who with heavy hearts, uses the memory of their late assistant coach to help them succeed.

Winning their section finals match not only propelled them to state but also fulfilled a deeper desire, to win for assistant coach Tony Makela who passed away last year.

"Tony and me were like brothers since like 8th grade and high school. He coached with me a LLC and coached with me here. He passed away last Fall unfortunately at the beginning of our season," exclaimed Proctor Head Coach Anthony Wood.

Coach Tony, a former Alabama resident, lives on with the team every time they step foot on the pitch with a little saying he came up with.

"His goal, he wanted Rail tide to be a thing. He lived in Alabama for a while, big Alabama fan Roll Tide, so in his honor this year we have said Rail tide at half time. When we do things we say, Rail Tide so when people here that its a memory of Tony. I think going forward we will put Rail tide on the back of our shirts to honor him," Wood added on.

Well there was no better way to honor him than to win against Marshal.

"We have all kept him in our mind and we had him in our mind when we were playing Marshal in that section final. We believe he helped us pull through in that last game," Senior Forward Cayden Rengo said.

"Tony was such a great guy, he had such a influence in all the guys around us. Honestly he has been looking down on us here in these games and even in our huddles and stuff. We contribute to him in our roll tide and all that stuff and he really has been one of those factors pushing this team forward and I do believe he’s watching us now and he’s proud," Senior Evan Bowen concluded with.