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| Moomau prior to the start of the 2004 5A state title game against Salina South. |
Q: What are you doing now? Can you talk about it and what you enjoy most about it?
"Right now I am currently working for a friend who owns his own lawn care business as a day job. The reason for this is because I had an opportunity to become the Defensive Backs Coach at Saint Thomas Aquinas High School. I was already working for a company up north doing financing and making a solid income, but once my best friend and now fellow coach, Justin Gore, approached me one day with the opportunity I walked away from my financing job that following week.
"I will say this; I am not coaching for the money. It’s all for the love of the game and the passion my heart still holds for those kids playing. Times are tough just because finances are tight, but I wouldn’t change a thing about what I do every day.
"This team and these kids are everything to me and I hope after the days, weeks, and months we have spent together on that football field, weight room, and classroom, they know this. I want to be someone my players can come to for anything and know they will get the most honest and best advice I can possibly give to them for whatever it is they are asking about.
"I want to show them the right way to play the game, the right way to be a student, and the right way to be a son through their high school career before reaching college. If I don’t then I am not doing my job. I am so very blessed to have such a wonderful group of coaches and an even more amazing group of kids to surround myself with every day."
Q: You have gone down in Olathe North and Sunflower League lore as one of the best players in league history. You recorded 19 interceptions on defense and over 3,000 all-purpose yards and were in on a 35-4 record as a starter with the program. Aside from athletic gifts, what did you do to be one of the best?
"First and foremost, I couldn’t do any of that without the coaching and guidance of the handful of coaches I had throughout my football career. Not only in high school, but starting as young as Little Eagles!
"Secondly, I was fortunate to have a great group of guys that I had the opportunity to grow up with and play with every year. Without those two groups of people, I wouldn’t have been near as successful as I was.
"Aside from athletic gifts though, I would say the persistent want and need to get better each and every day while I was out on the football field or in the weight room or doing film work had a significant impact on my performance.
"There are three things each athlete can control on a play by play basis; effort, attitude, and making sure they do their job! If one can give 110% effort every play, maintain a positive/never give up attitude, and ensure they are taking care of their responsibilities on the football field each and every down, there isn’t any reason they can’t separate themselves from the rest of the competition as they go on throughout their career.
"That and making sure I represented the name on my chest and helmet with great pride and sportsmanship were the few things I felt helped make me the player I was."
Q: Did you have any unique rituals during the playoffs?
"My thing each and every year was my 'playoff beard/hair.' I didn’t cut it or touch it until we got knocked out the playoff, which fortunately wasn’t until the state championship game every year. Needless to say, my momma and my girlfriend at the time didn’t like it, but that wasn’t going to stop the Lion's Mane!
"There were other rituals I would do before each game as well. I would always wear the same under shirt, get dressed and ready the same exact way every game, and be the one leading my team out to battle before each game."
Q: What was your most fond playoff experience as a player and why? Was there a particular game that stood out the most during your playoff games and why?
"I assume most people would put a playoff experience that would bring a smile to their face, but not me. The one game that will forever follow me is my senior year’s state championship game where I had a freakish knee injury during the 4th quarter with seven minutes left until we won our third state title. We were up 14-0 and were dominating in every aspect of the game, but once that happened, things turned for the worst and the momentum quickly shifted.
"I had to sit on the sideline while I watched my family hit, fight, and claw Salina South for the remaining seven minutes of the game. Sadly, we ended up losing in double overtime to a very good Salina South team, but I still cannot for the life of me get the image of them rushing the field out of my head once that clock hit zero! Just sickening to still think about, especially when we had such an amazing team and year then had to watch it end like that.
"I had to sit on the sideline while I watched my family hit, fight, and claw Salina South for the remaining seven minutes of the game. Sadly, we ended up losing in double overtime to a very good Salina South team, but I still cannot for the life of me get the image of them rushing the field out of my head once that clock hit zero! Just sickening to still think about, especially when we had such an amazing team and year then had to watch it end like that.
"If I had to pick a positive experience though, it would be from my sophomore year during the Sub-State game against Olathe East where we broke all attendance records. I had just lost my grandfather earlier that week and really didn’t know how I was going to get through the week to the game. My grandfather was everything to me and I didn’t even get to say goodbye to him due to the cancer that took over his body and his life. So this was a very emotional game to me, my family, and my teammates.
"This was probably the best game I had played all year while recording two interceptions this game and double digit tackles. That wasn’t the most exciting and memorable part of the game though… the last play of the game is what I will never forget! We were up 12-10 with just a few seconds left on the clock and Olathe East was down to their last play. They brought out the field goal unit and prepared to kick the game winning field goal when the snap went flying through the holder’s hands, resulting in a sack and us making our way to my first state championship! I still think my grandpa had something to do with that botched snap… call me crazy?"
"This was probably the best game I had played all year while recording two interceptions this game and double digit tackles. That wasn’t the most exciting and memorable part of the game though… the last play of the game is what I will never forget! We were up 12-10 with just a few seconds left on the clock and Olathe East was down to their last play. They brought out the field goal unit and prepared to kick the game winning field goal when the snap went flying through the holder’s hands, resulting in a sack and us making our way to my first state championship! I still think my grandpa had something to do with that botched snap… call me crazy?"
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| Moomau making a play against Free State during the 2003 season. Olathe North won the game, 28-14, and went on to go 10-3, winning the 6A state championship. |
"All this came down to was us wanting and needing to get better as a whole. We knew we had a good team and had the players to win ball games, but with the changes made the previous offseason to our coaching staff, things were a bit “Non-Eagle” like for a few weeks.
"All those losses came in the first few weeks of the season, so once we started figuring out what we needed to fix and what was/wasn’t working for us on the field, we made those changes and saw a positive outcome in the weeks to come. Granted, not all our success was due to the changes.
"Each player had to look themselves in the mirror and reach deep down inside to figure out if they were on board or not in trying to reach that state championship goal. Now, not every week was a cake walk. We had games where they were a back and forth shoot-out, but were fortunate to come out on top. We always played four quarters of Eagle Football and I think that is what separated us from the rest of the competition at times."
Q: You were involved in 12 playoffs games for Olathe North, all as a starter. Who was the best team you ever faced in the playoffs and why?
Q: You were involved in 12 playoffs games for Olathe North, all as a starter. Who was the best team you ever faced in the playoffs and why?
"Salina South, 2004: This was the best coached team I have ever played in my football career hands down. They were the hardest hitting, most disciplined, gutsy, dirty football team I have gone up against. They never slowed up.
"They were constantly bringing heat on me and Justin Gore in the backfield and any time my receivers caught the ball, their DBs made sure we all felt their presence. That team was filled with stud athletes that I would later get to know at my junior college (Coffeyville CC) and through friends. Obviously, once they had the opportunity to talk to me, they made sure to let me know what the outcome was of that game! It was all in fun and a very hard fought football game. One for the ages for sure.
"They were constantly bringing heat on me and Justin Gore in the backfield and any time my receivers caught the ball, their DBs made sure we all felt their presence. That team was filled with stud athletes that I would later get to know at my junior college (Coffeyville CC) and through friends. Obviously, once they had the opportunity to talk to me, they made sure to let me know what the outcome was of that game! It was all in fun and a very hard fought football game. One for the ages for sure.
"Olathe East, 2002: What more can you say? Coach Jeff Meyers. Olathe East. Crosstown rivalry. This was our second time playing them that year (Olathe North had won the first matchup 35-14), so they were ready for us and looking for redemption. They definitely came in prepared and were full out great football players. Many who went on to have successful college careers. Me being a scrawny little sophomore going up against guys like Todd Haselhorst wasn’t exactly my idea of a 'good time'. Both sides brought a large crowd, one in which broke an attendance record."
Q: Who was the best player you ever faced in the playoffs, and why?
Q: Who was the best player you ever faced in the playoffs, and why?
"This is a tough one. I played against many great players throughout my playoff career, but the one that sticks out to my right off hand has to be Ryan Copp from Blue Valley West during my senior year when we dropped to 5A. He was already a D1 sized RB/WR and had all the athletic ability in the world. Fast, strong, great hands, quick feet, and just one smooth white boy! But, Ryan, who later became my roommate in college, felt the presence of that Olathe North defense throughout four quarters of football. He and his offense put up thirty some odd points against our defense this game, the most we allowed all year."
Q: What made Olathe North so good and so dominant, especially come playoff time, during your time with the program?
Q: What made Olathe North so good and so dominant, especially come playoff time, during your time with the program?
"That’s hard to say, but I can definitely say that our methods of preparation throughout the playoffs were intense, long, and purposeful! We would sometimes practice so late that we would move our cars against the fence so that we could use the light from our headlights to stay out there later and finish the things we were working on. Say around 7:00-7:30 to be exact. Rain, snow, or sunshine, we would be outside and get the work done that we needed to, to ensure we were as prepared as possible for our upcoming opponent. Obviously the players had a lot to do with it too once game time came around, but without the days or preparation beforehand, we wouldn’t have been put in such a great position to be successful."
Q: You were on two state championship teams in ’02 and ’03. In the ’04 5A state title game you went down with a knee injury while your team led 14-0. Salina South eventually came back to win in overtime. Can you talk about that game, that injury and what your thoughts are on that entire situation?
Q: You were on two state championship teams in ’02 and ’03. In the ’04 5A state title game you went down with a knee injury while your team led 14-0. Salina South eventually came back to win in overtime. Can you talk about that game, that injury and what your thoughts are on that entire situation?
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| Moomau, following his knee injury in the '04 state title game, consoles with then head coach John McCall on the sidelines. |
"Those last several minutes
will forever haunt me after I had my knee twisted up in the turf during a
defensive stand. I ended up partially tearing my ACL and PCL and straining my
MCL. At the time I didn’t know this, and figured I just hyper-extended my knee.
I’m sure a lot of the pain was masked by the adrenaline that was coursing
through my body at that time, so I still felt like I could play.
"Once I exited
the game, I immediately was laid out on the training table to check my knee
out, but all I wanted was a lineman’s knee brace and some tape to try and get
back out there with my team. Wayne, my trainer kept telling me he didn’t feel
it was a good idea to go back out and that my knee was way too unstable/loose,
but he couldn’t tell me anything at that moment in time. I only had one thing on
my mind and that was getting back out on that field and finishing this monster
of a game with my brothers.
"After a few minutes of rigging up that brace, I
finally hobbled my way out on the field trying to run as normal as possible so
the coaches up in the press box didn’t see me as a potential weakness in our D
at that time. Those next several seconds were the longest seconds of my life. As
Salina South lined up to run another play, I began to take my read steps as they
snapped the ball and that was it for me. My knee buckled under the weight of
myself and I fell like a sack of rocks. That was it.
"That right there was the
last time that I was going to play football as an Olathe North Eagle. That was
the last play that I was going to be out on that field with my teammates,
trying to finish out that last four minutes tell victory. That was the absolute
hardest thing that I have ever had to endure as an athlete. Sitting on that
sideline, while being held up by my head coach John McCall, immediately brought
tears of pain and sorrow and disgust to my eyes.
"I asked God, why? Why now? Why
this game? Why me? To this day I will never know, but what I do know is those
last few minutes of that game will forever follow me as a young man, athlete,
coach, and father to be someday. Having to watch my team fight their way
through the rest of the game and come out on the losing end will leave a
horrible taste in my mouth and an empty finger where I should have been able to
place my third and final state championship ring.
"Maybe that day has finally
brought me to where I am today as a coach for the Saints of Saint Thomas
Aquinas. Maybe that day and incident happened so I could use that pain and
sorrow to educate, guide and help my players become the absolute best they can
be and understand they should never take the abilities they have and the luxury
of being able to play this amazing game for granted. No one will ever know if
that day will be the last day they ever step foot on another football field.
Take each day one at a time and live it out to its fullest!"
Q: Can you talk about your experience as a Simone finalist after the season in 2004?
"I am very blessed to have even had the opportunity to be a finalist. There were so many amazingly gifted athletes that year that I was going up against throughout the KS/MO area; Chase Coffman, Andre Jones, Ryan Copp, Ryan Highfill, Josh Freeman, etc. There are so many things that play into the choosing of the Simone Award winner and I found that out months afterwards, but that’s neither here nor there now.
Q: Can you talk about your experience as a Simone finalist after the season in 2004?
"I am very blessed to have even had the opportunity to be a finalist. There were so many amazingly gifted athletes that year that I was going up against throughout the KS/MO area; Chase Coffman, Andre Jones, Ryan Copp, Ryan Highfill, Josh Freeman, etc. There are so many things that play into the choosing of the Simone Award winner and I found that out months afterwards, but that’s neither here nor there now.
"I personally feel that if we would have
walked away state champs and finished the season out undefeated, I may have had
a really good shot at taking the Simone from Chase. But, that didn’t happen,
things played out differently and I lost to Chase, who is now an NFL tight end
and will have a terrific career. I wish him and all the other award winners
that year the best of luck on their careers, no matter what it is. Again
though, I was very pleased with what I had accomplished that year and all the
other awards I won, but the Simone would have been the icing on the cake!
"It is what it is and now I can look back at it all and say I gave it my all and things just didn’t turn out the way I would have liked them to. Chase was very deserving and I tip my hat to him."
Q: Six Sunflower League teams will soon begin their quest for a 6A state title. What advice would you give to all of them in their hunt for a state championship?
"I will say exactly what I have preached to my players from the first day I got there as a coach… family is all you got! Your teammates are your brothers, your family. Treat them as you would treat your own family members. Come together as a unit, one group, one finely tuned machine moving together in the same direction towards one final goal, that state championship! Never give up! Play as if it were your last day getting to play this wonderful game, because you never know when it will be your last!
"Ask Marcus Lattimore of the South Carolina Gamecocks if he thought he would have another horrific knee injury like he did recently. One which might have ended his football career. Lastly, embrace the moment. Create a memory that you will be able to look back upon, five, ten, fifteen years from now and know you gave it your all with no regrets. 'We all we got. Family.' Good luck to you all!"
Q: Shout outs to anybody? Anything else you would like to add?
"Watch out for my Saint Thomas Aquinas Saints!"
"It is what it is and now I can look back at it all and say I gave it my all and things just didn’t turn out the way I would have liked them to. Chase was very deserving and I tip my hat to him."
Q: Six Sunflower League teams will soon begin their quest for a 6A state title. What advice would you give to all of them in their hunt for a state championship?
"I will say exactly what I have preached to my players from the first day I got there as a coach… family is all you got! Your teammates are your brothers, your family. Treat them as you would treat your own family members. Come together as a unit, one group, one finely tuned machine moving together in the same direction towards one final goal, that state championship! Never give up! Play as if it were your last day getting to play this wonderful game, because you never know when it will be your last!
"Ask Marcus Lattimore of the South Carolina Gamecocks if he thought he would have another horrific knee injury like he did recently. One which might have ended his football career. Lastly, embrace the moment. Create a memory that you will be able to look back upon, five, ten, fifteen years from now and know you gave it your all with no regrets. 'We all we got. Family.' Good luck to you all!"
Q: Shout outs to anybody? Anything else you would like to add?
"Watch out for my Saint Thomas Aquinas Saints!"
