Documenting my travels and thoughts from around the country
2023 Week 1 (New Jersey)
After returning home to Ohio on Wednesday, I had less than 24 hours before heading to New Jersey. At least, that was my plan. As I had done last year, I was heading to the Battle at the Beach in Ocean City, New Jersey. Continue reading “2023 Week 1 (New Jersey)”
2022 Week 16 (Pennsylvania)
The Pennsylvania Finals had been held at Hershey’s Hersheypark Stadium since 1998. With the state finals starting in 1988, it took four seasons before all four games were held at just one location. Before Hershey, and after those first four seasons, the games were held at Altoona’s Mansion Park Stadium. In the first and fourth year, games were held all over. Penn State, Shippensburg, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton area, and South Stadium in Pittsburgh even. Continue reading “2022 Week 16 (Pennsylvania)”
2021 Week 16 (Pennsylvania)
What season would it be if I wasn’t at the PIAA Championships? Of course I was going to be in Hershey. And it had a semblance of normalcy this year that was utterly lacking last season. We also had a large contingent of PFN personnel there to cover Pennsylvania’s title games. Continue reading “2021 Week 16 (Pennsylvania)”
2020 Week 15 (Pennsylvania)
Week 15 was my annual trip to the Pennsylvania State Championships in Hershey. Even in this Covid-crazy world, at least some things stay the same. But, the more they stay the same, the more they change. Instead of three days, all six games were squeezed into two days. Which made for two really long days minding the sidelines. Continue reading “2020 Week 15 (Pennsylvania)”
2019 Week 16 (Pennsylvania)
The Pennsylvania State Championships are a fun, albeit slightly subdued affair. Unlike other states still playing this late, lack of warm weather hinders the crowds, and some of Pennsylvania’s crowds are paltry. Only 950 attended the Thursday afternoon game between 1A powers Farrell (one of the smallest public schools in the state) and Bishop Guilfoyle, a private school also from the west side of the state. Continue reading “2019 Week 16 (Pennsylvania)”
2018 Week 16 (Pennsylvania)
Once again, the season starts winding down with Pennsylvania’s PIAA Championships in Hershey. Pennsylvania is in the third year of the Six Classes experiment. The championship schedule is a much simpler two-games-a-day. Thursday and Friday hosting games at 1pm and 7pm, and Saturday starting an hour earlier. For the 21st year, the championships were held at Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey. A company town just east of the state capital. The stadium holds 14,000–if ever needed–and enough parking for everyone to take two cars. Continue reading “2018 Week 16 (Pennsylvania)”