The Heart of the Matter

in a lopsided football game.

But for those involved, it might be the most memorable play of their lives.

When Flatonia’s Colt Freytag caught a three-yard touchdown pass from Fidel Venegas last Friday for the final score of a 49-17 win over Holland, it was the culmination of a lifetime of faith and fight and friendship all rolled into one.

At its core, it’s a story about heart: Before Colt Freytag was born 18 years ago, his future was anything but certain.

A sonogram found something wrong with his heart.

Specifically he had tricuspid atresia.

“It’s a big word I don’t like saying,” said Colt’s father Chris, who is the Flatonia head football coach.

It’s a congenital heart defect where the valve isn’t formed between the two right heart chambers.

The left side functions normally, the right side doesn’t.

“Basically he had half a heart ... When we found out 18 years ago that he had this problem, I hate to say it, I thought it was like a death sentence,” Chris said. “You didn’t know how long you’d have your kid, scared about going through all that with a baby.”

When Colt was a year-anda- half old he had his first open heart surgery – something called a Glenn shunt procedure.

At four he had another open heart surgery, this time something called a Fontan procedure.

Colt said he doesn’t remember much about all that.

But he said he never felt different from the other kids.

“He was just like the rest of us,” said Venegas, who has been friends with Colt since Pre-K days. But Colt’s dad knew different.

“They said if he ever wanted to play sports it would have to be golf or maybe baseball because of all the standing around,” Chris said.

Colt was not going to be able to participate in the sport his dad has made his life’s work. But in middle school Colt wanted to follow in his older brother Luke’s footsteps and play football.

“I told him he had to be the one to ask the doctor,” Chris said.

Colt underwent a stress test at Texas Children’s Hospital where his results were the strongest they’d ever seen from somebody who’d had the heart procedures Colt had undergone.

He was cleared to play football.

“I was excited,” Colt said.

“I cried,” Chris said. “I was just happy he was healthy. Just knowing he was going to be able to play with the guys he grew up with, that was special. They’re like a band of brothers.”

By Colt’s junior year last season he was still on the junior varsity. He was always a reserve and never really in the spotlight.

That all changed last Friday. Venegas told Colt before the game that he was going to help him get in the endzone.

After Flatonia took a big lead, Venegas broke free for a late insurance touchdown. But instead of running into the endzone, he slid down at the one yard line. They then ran a play where Colt went in motion and Venegas flipped him the ball.

He lost two yards. “I didn’t see the hole,” Colt said.

They tried it again and this time Colt would not be denied. It was Colt’s first-ever varsity touchdown, in a game in which the Bulldogs clinched the district title.

“I saw Colt tearing up. That’s when I knew how much it meant to him,” said Venegas, whose pass put him over the 2,000-yard mark for the season, a school record.

On the sidelines Chris cried – again. “It was an emotional moment,” Chris said. “All the fans went crazy because they know the struggle we’ve had ... When you put your whole life into football, and all of it in Flatonia ... You want to win, and then your son scores a touchdown. It was great. What really made me cry more than anything was what Fidel did to think ahead to make it happen, and to give up a touchdown. That shows you the kind of person he is.”

“He’s a great teammate,” Colt said of Venegas.

Next comes the playoffs for the Bulldogs, who are 9-1, and it could be a long postseason run for one of the best groups Flatonia’s ever had.

“This year, these guys have taught everybody how great team can be,” said Chris, who is a Flatonia High grad himself and is in his 13th season as head coach. “This group has lit this town on fire and everybody is along for the ride.”

After the season, the future is uncertain for these seniors. Venegas said he wants to go to college to study construction science. Colt’s not sure what’s ahead for him.

“He could have more surgeries, who knows,” Chris said. “Right now he has no complications, it is truly is amazing.

“They said he was going to be sickly. I can’t remember the last time he was sick. The Lord has blessed us more than I can imagine. We enjoy every day. He darn sure ain’t perfect. He’s just a regular 18-year-old kid that does stupid stuff.”

Colt Freytag, a regular kid, with a heart that might be a little different than most – but one that’s full.