Youth football team helps special needs student score touchdown

Indian Trail, NC - It was the final play of the game and the clock was ticking.

A local youth football coach decided to throw out the playbook and have his honorary captain hit the field.

Hunter, a 10-year-old kid with special needs, is a fifth grader at Hemby Bridge Elementary.

The Porter Ridge Ravens played their last game of the season against the Steele Creek Seahawks last weekend.

Hunter, who usually cheers for the Ravens from the sideline, received a helmet and ran to the field.

“I motioned to the ref and showed him Hunter and said we need to get him to the back of the play,” Coach Nathan Lisenby said.

Lisenby said he wanted Hunter to experience what it’s like to score a touchdown.

With 23 seconds left in the game, Hunter would make that a reality.

Verona Ducey sat in the stands cheering on Hunter with teary eyes.

She recorded the touching touchdown on her phone.

The 10-year-old scored a touchdown, with both teams trailing him as he inched his way to the end zone.

Coach Lisenby consulted the opposing team’s coach about the surprise secret play.

The coach says this taught the young players the value of sportsmanship.

The memorable moment didn’t change the outcome of the game. But it showed the young players that there’s more to the game than what’s on the scoreboard.

The Porter Ridge Ravens ended their season with seven wins and two losses. But all the team members agree that Hunter’s final play was the best play of the season.