Time surely does fly. Can you imagine? This is the 16th week of the PIAA sports' season and the 2nd weekend of the winter sports' season. It's amazing that we have 8 teams out of 584 teams that participate in football under the PIAA umbrella remaining to contest the final, championship games.

This is 1.37% of the total schools playing football and it certainly does not seem to be a compelling number. However, when compared to the 1547 schools this winter that are hosting a basketball, wrestling or swimming team, these same 8 teams are only .52 % of the total teams that are playing a winter sport.

So what's happening? What is happening is we are looking at the best 8 football teams in Pennsylvania contesting 4 games of who's the best in class and we have a myriad of story lines. In class order, it's David vs. Goliath; the veteran vs. the newcomer; the best of the privates and let the big dogs hunt. Can you imagine anything better?

Yes, we can. We imagine a great weekend of interscholastic competition that becomes an early Christmas present to the participants. No matter what happens, everyone goes home with a medal and a trophy. That's big stuff in a state the size of Pennsylvania and you can help make it better.

How so? Get energized and come to the games. Folks, you can't find a bargain like this; spend $8 and see two; two championship football games! Oh I know, sit in the basement and have the neighbors bring the hors d'oeuvres and you make the food and we'll watch the games on our corporate partner, PCN.

Well, that's great, but it's nothing like smelling it, feeling it, being outside and being a part of it. As the commercials show us; its sports, it's why we watch. Attend the games, be a part; come out and see why high school athletics is the best bargain of the American educational system.

On behalf of all of us at PIAA, thank you for being part of a great fall sports' season. We appreciate you following us and we would like to invite you to keep following us as we proceed through the winter season.

Don't worry. We'll have lots to share with you, from the End of the Bench.