Where did the season go?
Published 12:00 am Wednesday, October 26, 2011
With sweat dripping on my brow from the summer heat, I knew that it was the start of another season of high school football.
The sweat is gone, and now as we approach week 10 — yes week 10 of the regular season — the question that pops in this sports editor’s brain is “where did the season go?”
Every year, it always seems that when football season finally gets here, it can’t wait to end.
We are on the cusp of another end to a great season, where four local teams have earned berths in the 2011 state playoffs.
Andalusia and Opp in Class 4A and 3A, respectively, won their region titles and a right to host the first round of the playoffs.
Pleasant Home in Class 1A, vied for the No. 2 seed last week against Geneva County, but the Eagles fell to the Bulldogs, netting a No. 3 seed in the first round.
Straughn, a team that has taken me by surprise, also earned a spot in the post season, when the Tigers beat Ashford 25-8, and Alabama Christian Academy beat Hillcrest-Evergreen. SHS beat ACA earlier this season, and lost to the Jaguars — a game that the Tigers, I’m sure, will never forget.
The other two teams — Red Level and Florala — combine for one win this season, and both will meet this week to end their seasons.
Andalusia and Opp will meet this Friday night for the 68th time in both schools’ histories to end their regular seasons.
Straughn will play host to Daleville in its traditional end-of-the-season Thursday night game.
In the first round of the post season, Andalusia will play host to Elmore County, and Opp will play host to Walter Wellborn. Straughn travels to No. 3 Dadeville, and Pleasant Home will travel to play St. Jude in Montgomery. The first round will be played next Friday.
Yep, that’s just more than 10 days away, where wins will only get you closer to the ultimate goal of winning a state championship. One loss will earn you a ticket home.
It’s 10 short days away from the start of the post season, and I’m sure as the last 10 weeks have flown by, the post season will come and go.
Hopefully, not too quickly though, because this sports editor isn’t ready for the season to end.
It’s just way too exciting to watch.