‘Losing wasn’t an option.’ Sandy Creek title a promise to teammate who died.

“We dedicated our season to him, and we weren’t losing,” Latimer said. “Losing wasn’t an option for us, and we just went week by week, and we just kept going.

“It feels surreal. I wish he was here to experience it.”

Glaser was killed June 21 when a car on Highway 81 hit him as he was crossing the street, according to a WSB report. The driver fled the scene.

“It affected the community, and it affected our school,” Sandy Creek coach Darius Smiley said. “I mean, our guys were hurt by it and our coaches were hurt by it.”

Smiley promised Glaser’s mother that he would keep her son’s name alive in his program.

Sandy Creek honored Glaser’s legacy all season with “TG” stickers on every helmet and other community members’ shirts. The team also recited his initials after pregame prayers.

Sophomore running back Cornelius Jenkins said winning the state championship was the perfect way to honor his best friend. After all, playing football was his favorite thing to do with Glaser.

“We used to get all hype together and stuff, so just to rep his name with winning means the world to me,” Jenkins said.

Latimer, a senior, said he was impressed by Glaser’s maturity as a freshman last season.

“He was God-fearing, he always spread the word of God, always spread wisdom,” Latimer said. “For him to be so young, he knew so much. And he was always smiling. If anyone ever needed to be picked up, that was the guy.”

The Sandy Creek team bonded over their grief at an FCA retreat in July, just weeks after his death.

“That allowed us to get even closer as a team and get together and talk and hear each other out,” Smiley said. “I think the love for our brothers was showing at camp, and it just took us this far.”