NYSPHSAA

With the transition indoors for winter sports season, the transition back to wearing masks follows, according to the state of New York.

There are 5 Section II high school football champions playing this Friday and Saturday on their road to the Carrier Dome in Syracuse to play for a New York State Public High School Championship. That was the goal for each of these programs to start the season. They are the only 5 teams left from Section II. So, what do we know about the teams they are facing? We'll start with the A & AA matchups.

Nassau County on Long Island is full of powerful high school football programs. Section VIII features some programs that are way better than others. High school athletic directors in the area got together to do something about lopsided victories and the potential of coaches running up the score on teams. What if those same rules were applied to Section II games this year? How many Capital Region high school coaches would face discipline?

My perspective may be tainted from working in mid-major Division I college athletics for a long time. I do believe in free enterprise. However isn't high school, even more than college is about educating our youth enabling them to be better adults? Should we have a 14 year old thinking about making a profit on his or her basketball skills or using those abilities to help make their team better? I'm not sure there is a right or wrong answer with this one. I just know it begs a question.