Hello Friday Night Lights

The world returned to a little bit of normalcy when the Colby Hornets took to the football field for the first time last Friday.

The lights never looked so bright, or so good, and both teams thrilled at being back on the gridiron. The Hornets looked great, with Brent Jeske looking like an old pro taking snaps under center.

Colby was passing, running and tackling with a will, and when the clock finally hit zero, the Hornets walked away with a commanding 54-6 victory that should bode well for the rest of the season.

Assuming, of course, that we have a season.

There is still so much that is up in the air this year. Still so much that is uncertain and unknown. While my sports section returned to a healthy four pages again, it is sadly absent of any Abbotsford sporting feats.

If you’ll recall, the school board voted to move to a virtual only instruction model until October 5. It’s just a stark reminder that the novel coronavirus is still here.

If you flip through these pages you’ll read another story, that of Michael Decker, a Class of 2020 grad from Colby. Decker is embarking on his first year in higher education, and he is attending my alma mater, UW-Madison.

I’m proud of him, and glad to call him a Badger. When the time is right, I hope to run down and see him and buy him a meal. He says he’s not tired of ramen just yet, but that will change.

I also hope a lot more changes. I hope that Michael can experience a true college experience, one that involves football games at Camp Randall, basketball games at the Kohl Center, and the simple joy of walking into a busy library and seeing friends grouped together at a table as they study and gossip and just enjoy one another’s company. I also hope Abbotsford gets to compete in football and volleyball this season. I am greedy when it comes to that, and I hope they get more than just one game or one match. I hope they can enjoy some semblance of a season, albeit a shortened one. High school is a brief four years, but it has a heavy impact on one’s life. I still remember my days as a student at Hayward High, and as I drive back and forth between Colby and Hayward to help keep the Jackpine Rock Shop going, I can’t help but wonder if there will be more football games. Games under the Friday Night Lights are a rite of passage for so many. And for many, those nights gave them something for more than a win, or even bruises. It gave them confidence and belief and taught them about teamwork and hard work. So while some say it’s no big deal if the kids only get one or two games this year, I say the opposite. I say it’s a very big deal.

So let’s enjoy the season while we have it, make of it what we can. And let’s all do our part to stop COVID-19!

M USINGS AND G RUMBLINGS

ROSS PATTERMANN REPORTER