A love of football, Xavier

Editor's note: Jacob Miller is a senior at Cedar Rapids Xavier, wrapping up his summer internship at The Gazette. Jacob also is a member of the Saints' football team.

By Jacob Miller, Xavier senior

CEDAR RAPIDS - My tackle football career began in Colorado when I was in second grade. This year is my senior year in high school, and my 11th year of football. Eleven years of getting the opportunity to hit someone as hard as I can.

I can't imagine my life without football. It has molded me into the person I am today.

In my younger football days in Colorado, I was mainly an offensive and defensive lineman. Not because of my size, but because I wanted to hit people. I was not afraid of contact. In my later years, when my family moved to Iowa, I switch to running back on offense and safety on defense.

In 2012, my freshman year at Xavier, we made it to the Class 4A state championship game and lost to Ankeny. In 2013, we made it back to the championship again, only to be defeated by West Des Moines Dowling. Last year, we were moved down to 3A due to the breakup of the Mississippi Valley Conference and the change to district football. We were unable to play some major rivalry games against Kennedy, Prairie, Washington and Jefferson.

Instead of our Cedar Rapids rivalries we added Dowling and Regina to our regular-season schedule.

My first year on varsity ended with us losing in the semifinals against Pella. Losing in the semifinals was harder for me than watching us lose in back-to-back years in the championship game. In those two seasons, we knew when our last football game would be. Last year, having the season pulled out from under us was a major wake-up call for me. Knowing football can be over just like that.

Being part of the Xavier football program has been the greatest thing that has ever happened to me. From 6 a.m. lifting in the summer to practice in the August heat, I have not regretted a single moment of it.

I pray my teammates and I can perform to the best of our abilities day in and day out all season.