A celebratory Sunday afternoon cookout turned tense for the Space Coast Vipers High School football team in Cocoa, Florida. Gathered around a television set at junior linebacker Jacob Starkey's house, 130 miles from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Raymond James Stadium, they watched as quarterback Baker Mayfield came close to engineering a fourth-quarter comeback against the San Francisco 49ers.
"You can hear 'em all now. They always talk about what Baker does on Sundays," said coach Jake Owens, who called Mayfield a "rallying tool" for their program. "When we've had all the success that we've had this year -- for many different reasons -- we never try to forget what people have done to help with this. And Baker and Emily [Mayfield] are a big part of that."
After finishing 1-8 last year with just 14 total wins in the past six seasons, the school rehired Owens in February. Owens, who had previously coached the team 2012-17 and had become its winningest coach, had left to take some time away from coaching.
Upon his return, he discovered that just a handful of helmets were acceptable to play in.
"They had gotten some helmets, but they were already falling apart," Owens said. The program needed a total of 60-70 to outfit the varsity and junior varsity teams. So Stephenie Starkey, Jacob's mother and a die-hard Oklahoma Sooners fan, approached the Baker & Emily Mayfield Foundation for help.
The Mayfields donated $17,900 worth of equipment, including 70 Riddell SpeedFlex helmets in matte black with shiny purple decals that retail for close to $500 each, along with Riddell, Razor and Z-Cool pads.
"Baker and Emily -- they have made lifelong fans," Owens said. "These guys, they're just so appreciative of it. We talk about on a daily [basis] just being humble and being appreciative and understanding how blessed we are. And that's something, I think, that gets lost in today's world."
Mayfield even became part of their team bonding, as players and their families would take turns each week hosting Sunday NFL watch parties.
The gift helped pave the way for a 9-3 record, and after a 21-19 victory over the Umatilla Bulldogs on Friday, the Vipers are heading to the SSAA 1A State Championship for the first time in program history. They'll host the Bell High School Bulldogs in the SSAA 1A State Championship game Friday at 7 p.m. ET.
"They needed some guidance, they needed some leadership and they needed someone to say, 'We're rooting for you,'" Owens said. "And now we're playing for a state championship. It's just an incredible story."
In last week's semifinal, senior running back Christopher McDonel rushed for 143 yards and two touchdowns, with senior Christian Burt tacking on a third and senior receiver/defensive back/special teams returner Dee Parker posting 117 receiving yards. Defensively, senior defensive end Camron Walker notched 2.0 sacks to make it 13.5 on the season, with 3.0 tackles for a loss and 24 on the year.
On top of that, they've secured the program's first playoff wins in team history (2) and the most wins in school history (9) and their defense has produced the most shutouts in team history (5).
But Owens said he's most proud of how they've done it.
"They go out every week and they play for each other," Owens said, adding that this group spends a lot of free time together too. "They battle for each other, and they understand that it's bigger than themselves. There's no selfish players on this team. When those things happen, winning happens."
Owens said this season's success has galvanized their small, tight-knit community after several years of losing. Their Friday night games have been standing room only at their stadium, called the "Snake Pit." Yard signs have been popping up everywhere, and restaurants now display "Good luck" messages. And they recognize it wouldn't have happened without an assist from the Mayfields, coupled with their belief in one another.
"Everybody is just so appreciative of what him and Emily did," Owens said. "He has so many fans now in Port St. John -- oh God, this whole program. ... This is a guy that truly did not have to do this. I mean, we are on the other side of the state. He truly did not have to do this, but he saw that there was a need for help, and he used his platform. And that impact will -- it'll be a generational thing with these kids. ... These young men, they will take that, and they will understand one day -- if they don't already -- that they might get that same opportunity to make that same impact on someone, and they'll do it."