Thursday chiller

It's cold. It's windy. The bad news? I have a football game tonight. Welcome to week nine of high school football in Kansas, where many teams have to play on Thursday because the state playoffs for four divisions--4A, 3A and both divisions of 8-man--get underway the following Tuesday, all so the Kansas State High School Activities Association can finish the football season before December 1 and make sure it doesn't conflict with basketball and wrestling.

I'm staying home tonight for Russell's finale with powerful Scott City. The Beavers are aiming for their fourth consecutive undefeated regular season, while the Broncos come in 1-7 and are likely going to post their worst record since going 1-8 in 2001. Scott City will play either Cimarron or Holcomb in the playoffs Tuesday.

Last weekend was a mixed bag. The football game between Smith Center and Bennington was quite exciting. Smith Center went ahead with 6:37 left, but missed the 2-point covnersion. Bennington drove deep into Smith Center territory in the final minute, but the Redmen's Taylor Zabel saved the game by wrestling the ball away from the Bulldogs' Heath Thornhill in the end zone. Had Thornhill hung on, the game would either have gone into overtime (Smith Center has already played two overtime games this season, defeating Oberlin and Ell-Saline), or the Bulldogs could have won with a 2-point conversion. Smith Center's 22-16 win gave the Redmen the Class 2-1A, District 6 title. They'll host Republic County in a gmae

I got my new iPhone when I got back from Bennington. I'm learning the ropes rather quickly.

Smith Center did not win the volleyball sub-state at Oberlin last Saturday. The Lady Red gave it all they had, rallying from a deep hole against Ellis in the semifinals to knock off the Railers in three sets and advance to the final, but Hill City was the better team, and it showed. The Ringnecks did not lose a set, and defeated Smith Center 25-20, 25-17 in the championship match. Hill City will play in the Class 2A state tournament Friday and Saturday at Emporia. The Mid-Continent League has never produced a volleyball state champion, and I'm hoping the Ringnecks change that.

I'm stuck with another football game tomorrow night, Ellis at Oakley. I wish I had volleyball to cover, but it wasn't to be this year. Life goes on.