Four years ago, during my freshman year, 28 of my teammates and I arrived at the field house to suit up for the ­season-opening football game against Two Harbors, Minnesota.

The preceding two and a half weeks had not been easy, filled with grueling twice-a-day practices in the summer heat and lots of abuse in the form of running and seeing who was more willing to work hard to earn a spot.

That night as I suited up, I learned that I would be starting both sides of the ball at ­offensive tackle and middle linebacker. From there on, I looked forward to that 48 minutes every week when ten other guys and I were the center of attention.

To me, when I pad up to play, I get a kind of euphoric high. I love it when time seems to slow and even stop as I set down into my stance and contemplate my next move to break through the opponents’ ­offensive line. Or if I’m on the O-line, my job is to keep the ­quarterback on his feet and the ­defensive line out of the pocket. It’s something I learned to love. For the next three years, I experienced the running, the ­hitting, the pain, the hardship of a tough loss, and the glory of the win.

If you had asked me that first night what I would do the last game of my senior year, I would have said that it was a long way off and there was no need to worry about it. ­Unfortunately, I was wrong; here I am, a ­senior, and my final season just ended. It sneaks up quicker than you’d think, and it hits even harder. But life is about growing and experiencing new things.

It is going to be hard not having any more Friday night games under the bright lights or grueling practices that we say we hate but deep down really love. Yes, I cried when it ended; it was a good run. Roy, Josh, Trevor, and Dean – thank you, guys. We had a great couple of seasons together. And now it’s time to pass the torch and let the others have their time to shine. That chapter may be done, but the book is just beginning.