How two girls softball players helped save a high school football team's season by suiting up

WEWOKA, Okla. — Natalie Davis just remembered being nervous.

The senior softball player was standing in the middle of the football field Friday night about to kick the ball after Wewoka’s opening touchdown.

She had only practiced kicking for two days. But there was no turning back now.

Davis reared back and kicked the ball nearly 30 yards down the field. She soon realized her job wasn’t done as the Mounds returner was headed straight for her.

“I just closed my eyes and hoped for the best,” Davis said Monday afternoon through a chuckle.

Davis stuck her arm out and swept the leg of the ball-carrier for a touchdown-saving tackle.

Davis was met with cheers from her coaches, fans and teammates. She also received cheers from Callie Ramsey, another senior softball player on the field with the football team.

It was smiles all around for the two girls who had no idea they’d be on the gridiron just a few days prior. 

Between injuries, health outbreaks and eligibility issues, Wewoka wasn’t going to be able to play football last Friday due to a lack of players. With it being the first week of district play, if Wewoka forfeited it wouldn’t be eligible for the playoffs, per OSSAA rules.

So, Davis and Ramsey took action. On a two-day notice, the two softball players, strapped on a set of shoulder pads and helmets and took the field for their school.

INDIANA:Girls find success playing kicker, linebacker for high school football team

DON'T MISS OUT: Sign up for sports news and features sent to your Inbox

It’s believed they are the first set of girls to play football for the small school 70 miles southwest of Oklahoma City.

“Running out of the tunnel the first time and seeing everybody,” Ramsey said, “that’s what really made the night. Just knowing that everybody was there to support no matter what happened. All the boys were supporting us even though we barely knew what to do.”

Just a few days before, first-year Wewoka coach Bryan Couch had made his rounds asking the boys in the school if they had any interest in playing football.

His results weren’t promising.

“We’ve had some people that wanted to join the football team but they hadn’t had physicals, hadn’t gone through the heat acclimation practices,” Couch said. “So, even if we had gotten them physicals, they wouldn’t have been able to play Friday.”

SUPER 25: Rankings, results, news for USA TODAY's top high school football teams

The odds just weren’t in the Tigers' favor.

So, Couch stood in the weight room with a small group of football players with disappointed faces on Wednesday. It had already been announced on Wewoka’s social media handles and the school website that they were going to have to forfeit their district football game.

In the middle of confirming the information with his team, Davis and Ramsey stepped in. They heard the coaches were asking for players and wanted to be considered.

“We’ll play football if you take us,” they told Couch.

Couch was taken back by their request at first. But he remembered his time at Western Heights where he coached a girl football player — Jenny Ehlers.

“Let me find out,” he said.

Couch reached out to Wewoka athletic director Cody Barlow and the two reached for their phones. They called the OSSAA.

They received season-saving information.

Because the girls played softball for the school, their days on the diamond counted toward their heat acclimation requirements. And they already had their physicals.

So, that same evening, the girls were in full pads at football practice.

“It was kind of tough the first day,” said Ramsey, who’s a pitcher and shortstop on the softball team. “When they put those pads on it was definitely different than softball, that’s for sure. We definitely got tired a little bit quicke,r but we pushed through and we made it.”

On Friday night, the girls also suited up at safety and wide receiver. They didn’t make any catches or tackles at the positions but they made their impact in other ways in Wewoka’s 47-17 loss.

With an entire district schedule left in the season, the Tigers still have a chance of making a playoff run.

And Couch said Davis and Ramsey will be along for the ride.

“It turns out that Callie is at least as good if not a better punter than we already had,” Couch said, “and Natalie is the best natural kickoff than anybody we’ve got.

“I tell everybody, ‘​Even though we’re under some rough circumstances, we’re going to attempt to score more points than the other team.’ We played 48 minutes of football and we came up short but we’re not surrendering anything. We’re working hard to go win a district game next week against Hartshorne.”