Friday Lights

It's been three years since I last saw my high school take the field under the lights on Friday night.

This time Janesville Craig drove to Mansfield Stadium on Madison's west side to play the Regents of Madison West High.

Mansfield Stadium is on Madison Memorial's campus and the two school's share the stadium for their home field.

It caused me to remember one of the few road games I attended and road the fan bus from Janesville to see the Cougars play.

Our team must have been pretty good, and I recall a full bus of kids going to the game.  Some kids drove themselves from Janesville to Madison; I don't remember, but am pretty sure I didn't have a license in my wallet yet.

Two memories stand out.  I remember getting off the bus into the parking lot at Madison Memorial and our student section at the south end of the large bleacher section.

The second memory was on the bus on the ride home.  I heard excited shouts from the other side of the bus, the side with windows next to the passing lane.

"There's the Moon!  There's the Moon!"

I was confused.  'So what?' Everyone's seen that, what's the big deal?'

Ah, a few minutes later as a car with fellow students hanging out the windows passed by, I understood.

Such are the memories of high school football games.

Craig and the Regents last night was the classic tale of the irresistible force and the movable object.

West couldn't stop Craig's running back.  The Cougars couldn't stop the jet sweep or the long downfield pass.  It was 28 - 21 West at half-time.  The only reason it wasn't a higher score was time ran out.

I didn't see any familiar faces in the crowd of traveling Craig fans.  It's possible I might know some of the parents of kids on the team or n the cheering section.  The last time I saw Craig play, at Verona in 2013, I saw Coach Suter in the stands.

The defense showed up after halftime - with only 14 points going on the scoreboard - unfortunately, Craig lost, 35 - 28.

In the press box, WCLO was broadcasting the game back to Janesville.  I figured there was no way he'd remember me, but the play-by-play guy for the game was working at WCLO when I was a high school kid operating the board during games like this.

Which is why I didn't travel to many away games.  Why the appearance of earth's closest neighbor seemed unusual... well... I guess I had a bit of a sheltered childhood.