When you’re 18 years old and you’re holding the state championship Gold Ball above your head, surrounded by your best friends, you feel immortal.

When you’re in your early 40s, you know that feeling is a mirage, but it’s good to recapture it every now and again.

Last weekend, members of the 2000 Massabesic High School football team got together and celebrated the upcoming 25th anniversary of their Class A championship.

“When we see each other, it’s like we’re back in high school,” said Tom Thornton, a lineman on that team.

By that, Thornton means the conversation is easy. It’s impossible to recapture the simplicity that comes with youth. Really, when you’re in your 40s now, knowing everything you’ve learned in the subsequent two and a half decades, you don’t want to.

They know it’s not one fall, one Gold Ball in a trophy case, that defines them. It’s everything they’ve accomplished since that November day on which they held off Bangor, 26-21.

That’s what John Morin, the head coach of that team, and his assistant coaches were trying to set up – success that went beyond the 2000 football season.

“The thing I remember the most is, those 18 seniors made a four-year commitment to accomplish that. Those guys were willing to do that for each other,” Morin said. “The commitment we made to them was, yes you’ll be better football players, but if we make you better young men, you’ll automatically be better football players.”

If you could make a commitment to a football team as a teenager, Morin figured you’ll be able to make a commitment to a family and career as an adult. Thornton thought a second, and realized it was true. How many of his teammates went on to successful careers? So many. He is the general manager of Applebee’s in Biddeford. Chris Letourneau, Thornton’s offensive line teammate, owns a Mac Tools franchise. Quarterback Jason O’Tash is the vice president of operations for Healthtrax Fitness & Wellness, which runs a multi-state chain of fitness centers. There are others, Thornton said. It’s so good to see.

O’Tash won the Fitzpatrick Trophy, given every year to the top senior football player in the state. He loves being able to rehash the 2000 state championship with his 14-year-old son, Brody.

“My son keeps my championship ring on his desk in his room,” O’Tash said.

They remember good times, and they remember the teammates they’ve lost. Seamus Densmore died in a car accident in 2006. Allen Bennison was killed in 2007 by Joshua Stewart, his fiancee’s ex-husband. Joey Olszewski died in 2010 due to complications from pneumonia and respiratory distress syndrome. His death and funeral came shortly before the Mustangs gathered to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their state title.

A fullback, Olszewski scored the winning touchdown in the state championship game.

“Joey, he was quiet, but he was a big presence on the team,” Letourneau said.

A scholarship was started in Olszewski’s memory but lost funding in the COVID pandemic. Now, his teammates and Morin are bringing it back. They’ve organized a raffle to raise money for the scholarship, which will be awarded to one male and one female athlete at Massabesic. The raffle is open through Friday. Among the prizes are weekend getaways to Bar Harbor or Sunday River, New England Patriots tickets, and gift cards to York County businesses.

When you’re 18 and in the moment, you don’t think about losing teammates. When you’re in your 40s, you realize it happens too much. You realize the commitment made 25 years ago lives on.

“Joey, I don’t think he ever leaves my thoughts,” O’Tash said. “My son reminds me of him, the way he plays wide receiver and runs. The longer Joey ran, he’d get faster and faster.”

Morin retired from coaching the Mustangs after the 2012 season. He’s back on the sidelines this fall with Kingswood High in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, as an assistant coach to Cory Woodsome. When he was an assistant on Morin’s staff, Woodsome asked his mentor, if I ever get a head coaching job, will you help? Of course, Morin said.

You make a commitment, Morin said, you honor it. What he taught his Massabesic players 25 years ago still stands.