Too Much Football, Not Enough Me

It was a tough week to choose what local high school football game to attend as a sportswriter for the “Town Crier”. Generally fairness to the six athletic programs that I cover is the trump card. This week, it was Napavine. The short drive to Tiger rival Adna was an excellent opportunity to cover the Tigers in an important match-up.

A classic Friday night scene from a classic venue on the "Hill" at Adna west of Chehalis, Washington.

It got ugly in the 3rd and temptation called. There was Winlock with their new found football prowess and a chance to see Toledo prove themselves against powerhouse Montesano. So much local football and not enough of me.

I departed for Winlock and arrived to find a 33-0 and bad news about Mike Ayon. Six miles away, there was a close game in progress the last I had heard. Toledo had Montes’ hands full. So back into the car I jumped and went a few miles east of Interstate 5.

What I found in Toledo was a Montesano team that was a machine and wore the Indians out in a business-like fashion. They scored three additional touchdowns and dominated while I was there. It was a abysmal night for the four Lewis County football teams in our circulation area, but the two Cowlitz County teams won big games.


The bottom line is that a little knowledge is a precarious thing. I now know the kids and coaches from six schools. I am proud to watch their accomplishments and get excited at their progress, improvement and hopes in the rest of the season.

The Winlock coaches and team meet on the sidelines during their September 12th game against Ocosta.

If you haven’t been out to catch one of our fantastic fall Friday night Football games, now is the time. From the amazing sunset in Onalaska in week one to the near full moon in Winlock in week two to the Americana of Adna’s “Hill” in week three, my tour of our local fall high school sports scene is of intrinsic value that should be shared! Come and enjoy it with me!

There is More to Sports and Athletes than Meets the Eye

When you think of sports, perhaps you think of fast, agile movement; Pressure-packed moments and amazing feats that often rule the day. At the same time, the bone-heads of athletics also make the headlines but real fans that love sport sweep those guys away in our minds as if they were never there.

What is special about small high school sports and activities is the innocence, all the opportunity in the form of joyous play for student athletes. There are a lot of smiles, laughter and occasionally giggles. Here in Washington, as so many other states, they don’t just make their names on the field of play.

Take for example, Toledo High School Junior Candi Zion. She was one of nine students selected to represent the Washington Interscholastic Activity Association (WIAA) participants to include student-athletes, cheer squads and theater participants all over the state. In all, nine student representatives were chosen to speak for 227,000 participants.

Sure, I was impressed with her 4.0 grade point average, and her participation in Basketball (2nd team Evergreen 1A all-star), Soccer (2nd team all-state) and at one time Fast pitch at Toledo High School. What was most impressive, however, was her skill as an eloquent communicator.

Last fall, Zion applied for a two year term in the Leadership through Education and Personal Development program (or LEAP) through the WIAA and was accepted. Meetings of the committee are held at the WIAA headquarters in Renton. Some of the topics have included student views regarding logistics at the state tournaments, the fairness of private schools competing with public schools, a shot clock in boys basketball and geographic anomalies like Forks competing in the same league with Winlock and Toledo.

As you would expect, with a representative like Candi Zion, the nine students brought together to assist the WIAA in their decision-making will look at issues with an objective and intelligent view. Clearly, there will be 227,000 benefactors.