Game ball honored longtime member of Tribe family

As the final seconds ticked off the clock and William and Mary upset Virginia on Saturday, the football traveled from the referee to the ballboy, who tossed it to a school official.

Seconds later, it was handed to an emotional Jimmye Laycock, the Tribe's coach. He passed it along to Pat Gantt, who will proudly display the ball in his Sandston home.

But the ball's journey actually began 23 years ago, when Gantt, a young equipment manager known as P.G., was part of an unthinkable tragedy.

As the Tribe celebrated its last victory in Scott Stadium, a 41-37 triumph in 1986, P.G. was knocked over during the celebration and ended up paralyzed from the waist down, confined to a wheelchair.

"That was the epitome of highs and lows," Laycock said. "Going from one minute celebrating a victory to the next minute knowing that one of the members of your football family is paralyzed for the rest of his life."

P.G.'s memories of the game aren't as clear.

"I don't remember most of it, because I was on a stretcher," he said.

The accident didn't diminish his passion for Tribe football, though, and his sister,Vicky, helps out by bringing him to practices and games.

He's in his 26th season of involvement with the team, starting after he graduated from Armstrong High School, and he still attends nearly every game -- skipping only the ones that involve an airplane flight. During that time, he's built a strong relationship with Laycock, who is in his 30th year with the team, making Saturday's victory even more special.

"We've been together a long time," P.G. said. "He was excited, yes he was."

When the game ended and the players ran into the locker room to begin the party, Laycock stayed back for a second, wiping his eyes before waving to a screaming section of fans. He then entered the locker room where he presented the game ball to Gantt.

"I think in that sense it made it a bigger deal for coach," quarterback R.J. Archer said. "It's just great that he was able to do that for P.G."

Laycock never thought twice about the move, which he said was "just the right thing to do." He added that the locker room after the game was a special time for everyone involved.

"That's one of the neat things about college football, is getting to experience that sort of thing," he said. "You wish everybody could have that kind of experience."

And on Saturday night in Charlottesville, after 26 years of loyalty, it was an experience delivered to Pat Gantt -- along with a souvenir he'll always cherish.