By TED SILARY
Perhaps what they say is true:
The highest levels of unabashed joy cannot be experienced unless a bout with deep distress has come first.
Malik Stokes can really relate.
At about 5:30 yesterday afternoon, still wearing his uniform along with a million-killowatt smile, there was Stokes, high-stepping and pumping his arms while marching along with Northeast High's band as it left George Washington's Mickey Young Memorial Stadium.
Far cry from last Nov. 8...
Stokes, then a junior, was the quarterback for a Vikings' squad that fell to Washington, 41-34, in triple overtime, for the Public AAAA title.
"I can remember every single thing about that last part of the game, and then that night," Stokes said. "I guess my most vivid memory is standing under the goalpost, crying like crazy. The pain in my heart...It was just so deep."
Maybe it'll never fully leave. But at least Stokes and those teammates who experienced the devastation can now puff out their chests about an act of redemption.
Northeast 14, Washington 12.
That was the final score in a Public AAAA Red wondrous memory-maker that wasn't decided until the final moments.
Stokes, a 6-1, 185-pound senior who is receiving Division I interest, did his part by passing 6-for-13 for 147 yards and all 14 of his team's points.
With Jose Rosario, the usual kicker-punter off playing soccer, Stokes also handled punting duties in occasional-boomer fashion.
"I never punted in a game," he said. "When we do defensive drills in practice, I kill time punting the ball around. Coach [Chris] Riley saw me one day and said, 'Guess what. You've got the job' [in Rosario's absence] ."
Stokes made a gigantic play with just under 2 minutes remaining, forcing a fumble at Northeast's 14 that was recovered by Camille Max, a highly productive linebacker. It erased the second of two spectacular punt returns by English Peay - the first, a 56-yard touchdown early in the quarter, was wiped out by a block in the back - and forced Washington to accept a procedure penalty.
No matter. On the re-punt, Nate Smith returned the ball 30 yards to Washington's 34. Jamear Seals passed for 2 yards to Brandon Chudnoff. He then whipped a fade to the right corner. Five guys there, two from Washington, three from Northeast. Daquan Cooper jumped and outbattled everyone for a 32-yard TD!
On the conversion play, which started at the 8 after a procedure flag, Seals rolled right and fired into traffic toward Smith. Eric "Flav" Brundidge (earlier interception), among others, got a piece of the ball.
On the onsides kick, a hard grounder 24 yards downfield, Northeast's Octavio Monteiro recovered the ball after it caromed off Max. The Vikings wasted clock from there and then got just a littttttt-le bit happy.
"I'm so proud of our coaching staff and our team because we pulled together as a family," Stokes said. "On paper, people would say Washington had us beat before the game even started. Not Northeast. We weren't saying that. We were going to come out and fight."
But first, the Vikings were going to listen to Stokes.
He made an emotional speech in the locker room, about what last year's title-game loss had meant, and how it had affected him long-range.
"That loss stayed with me all the way up until training camp," Stokes said. "I knew I finally had to let it go. The hurt that stayed, burning in my heart, was very emotional for me. We have a young team. For these guys to fight like tha...It means so much.
"I just felt I had to express my feelings, especially since so many guys are new and weren't with us last year. I told them, 'I've got y'all backs. If you need an example, look up to me.' And then I said we'll fight together."
Washington scored first on a 1-yard sneak by Seals, who was filling in for star QB Aaron Wilmer (team suspension, according to coach Ron Cohen). Northeast countered in the second quarter on a 23-yard, right-to-middle slant from Stokes to Rashaun Sligh.
Midway through the third quarter, Deion Barnes turned a similar play into a 67-yard gain, advancing the ball to the 10. On fourth-and-goal from the 2, he made a diving catch for a TD. Stokes hit Sligh over the middle for the crucial two points.
"I've got such great chemistry with all my receivers," Stokes said. "This isn't just me. You have to talk about the tremendous plays they made."
In Wilmer's absence, Seals accounted for 109 yards of rushing/passing.
"We'd heard about [the suspension], but we didn't know if it was true," Stokes said. "I spoke with [star Washington lineman Sharrif Floyd] a couple days ago and he said he wasn't sure. Probably wasn't going to tell me anyway, right?"
A year ago, Stokes formed a dangerous pass combo with his brother, Je'Ron, a wideout who's now at Michigan. Both are now so busy, Malik said they rarely get an opportunity to enjoy an extended conversation.
Here's guessing they made an exception last night.
"All of last year's seniors will enjoy hearing about this one," Malik Stokes said.
