The Hunt Begins

There’s always something in the orange for football fans this time of year

by Bryan Zollman and Mike Sonntag, Let’s Play Football

The trees that line the river valleys and lakeshores throughout Minnesota are full of bright orange. So are the avid hunters who don their hunting garb as they walk the fields in search of pheasant or sit in their deer stands waiting for the elusive buck to wander by.

It’s an exciting time of year for anyone who loves the outdoors. It’s also an exciting time for anyone who loves high school football.

It doesn’t seem long ago that summer came to an abrupt end and football practices commenced throughout the state. Probably because it wasn’t that long ago. In late August and early September, thousands of young athletes strapped on their shoulder pads and pulled their jersey over them for the first game of the season. Eight rigorous weeks later — weeks filled with triumphs, defeats, bumps and bruises — these same athletes are now preparing for their second season: the playoffs.

Tuesday night marks the start of this second season. It’s one and done time as teams will take to the gridiron with hopes of extending their 2024 campaigns. For seniors, every time they strap on their shoulder pads and jersey, it may be for the last time. All the hard work on and off the field, the early morning workouts in the weight room, the countless film sessions, team meals and bus rides, all culminate to this moment in their careers.

At some point, over the next several weeks, all but seven teams will watch the final seconds tick off the clock, knowing they will lose their final game of their high school careers. Those teams and those players should always hold their heads high, knowing they have done the work that many kids nowadays simply find too hard to do. They have taken some hits, found themselves face first in the dirt, but have gotten back up, brushed themselves off and got back in the huddle ready to do it all over again.

Of the thousands of players who begin tonight’s playoff journey, only a select few will be able to raise their arms in triumph at the end and go out on a winning note. But make no mistake, while there are teams that lose games, there are teams, players, coaches and communities who ultimately win because they have all come together to strive for a common goal. That goal may not be raising a trophy at the end of the season. It may be any of the countless victories made both individually and as a team along the way.

In the end, trophies gather dust, but it’s the relationships, the bus rides, the locker room talks, and the Friday night lights that create the memories that last forever.

Yes, there is something in the orange this time of year in Minnesota. Just like there is something inside every football player, his coaches, his mom, his dad and all those who layer up on Friday nights to watch them compete. What burns inside is a passion for the game of football, a love for their brothers in battle, and an unyielding commitment to the school and community they are proud to represent.

Minnesota is different this way. The colors that glow along the roads, riverbeds and lakeshores is a sight to behold. As the tree tops burn bright oranges, reds and yellows, so does the fire inside the bellies of those who are fortunate to play this great game.

The hunt is officially on.

It truly is a beautiful thing to see.

Be sure to watch Let’s Play Football’s 4-part video series:

THE PROGRAM

Episode 1: Caledonia Football – Being Uncommon

Section Seedings Heading into Playoffs