It was a wet and windy day and perhaps that was appropriate for the Columbia High School football team, which lost a tough playoff contest Saturday to Westfield. But that should not be the final image of this season, or this team.

The Cougars gave us something that will not be forgotten - a great 8-1 regular season. The players, who had a history of losing behind them, grabbed hold and forged ahead. D.J. Roberts, Demetrius Cooper, Jared Williams and the entire roster toughed it out and proved the underdogs can win and stir up excitement at the same time. When The Star-Ledger gave them front page coverage Friday, it showed.

Week after week, they grew from a team that offered few a hope for success in the pre-season to a group that actually began to expect wins, and they got them. Week after week, we in the crowd cheered and hoped and praised their toughness.

Players went the extra effort, tackling hard on defense, making plays, running strong on offense and playing with an intensity not seen around here for years.

That ended with the first trip to the playoffs since 1982, well before any of them were born. And the fans were primed as well. Each week the crowds grew. Praise also to the marching band and the cheerleaders, both of which did their part through some wet game days and many practices.

But it is these players we will not forget. They must take this season for the great piece of history it was and not let the last loss mark it as a negative. Some players could be seen teary-eyed as they went off the field. But Williams had the best reaction when he thanked the crowd as he left the field in Westfield and told them they had done well. Both reactions showed only they wanted to do their best. And we are here to tell you that you did.