Editor's Note: Ben Stallman is a senior at Souhegan High School and a wide receiver/defensive back on the SHS football team that beat Portsmouth, 28-14, in this year's Division III championship game. He entered the 2008 season with 60 career receptions, which is a school record. He also set the school record for receptions in a season when he caught 35 passes last year. Ben was named to the Division III All-State First Team following the 2007 season. His Varsity Insider column appeared each week throughout the season.

After slowly walking off the "Land of Lenahan" field in the Division III state championship game against Plymouth last year, the Souhegan players had a sour taste in their mouth. It was the bitter taste of defeat. The good thing about this bad aftertaste, however, was that it made the returning Sabers players even hungrier for a title. They would get that chance again facing the Portsmouth Clippers in this year's Division III championship game.

As the light faded in "The Jungle" stadium at Souhegan High School, all eyes were on the scoreboard. The seconds slowly ticked off the clock, Souhegan inching closer and closer to an undefeated championship season.  Every fan turned their attention almost away from the field of play and towards the scoreboard, anxiously awaiting the final buzzer. As the rain poured steadily down on the field, forming large puddles and thick mud, the Souhegan Sabers finally tasted that ever-elusive taste of success. Taking the final knee, the starters on the field watched those last seconds disappear and embraced their teammates, knowing it had all come to a perfect end.

The atmosphere of the postgame festivities was electric, players bawling their eyes out left and right, knowing all their blood, sweat, and tears given throughout the season, the double sessions in August, had not gone to waste.  Their hurdles had brought them to their ultimate success. First, the Sabers applauded the Clippers as they received the runner-up trophy. Portsmouth fought to the end with just as much hunger as the Sabers had, and had been gracious in defeat. Then came the moment for all of the players, from freshmen up to varsity, that had been long awaited: The championship trophy was in their grasp, and the weight and pressure of being the favorite and undefeated lifted off their shoulders. Feeling the cold metal of the plaque was an unforgettable experience, and the players and coaches will keep it with them the rest of their lives.

Even an hour after the game, no player wanted to leave the field despite mud and rain, with a fear that maybe the euphoria wouldn't last if they left. However, after many pictures, tears, and hugs, the players and coaches drove to the center of Amherst, where the captains hoisted up the State Champion flag high and proudly, many starting to understand what they had just witnessed, and been a part of. Then the crowd that had gathered went silent, with a few families taking pictures, the rest gazing up, completely appreciating what had just occurring during the day. They never wanted to forget the moment where the clock went from one second left to zero, the taste of victory overcoming them.