We’ll root for both Ripon and Escalon football teams. Which one to watch? Flip a coin
Sports fans eager to witness the pinnacle of high school football will be spoiled this Saturday, when both Ripon and Escalon host state championship games.
It’s a shame, however, that we can’t see both in person. Although the historic games are only 12 miles apart, they will start at exactly the same time: 6 p.m.
It’s tempting to blame inconsiderate scheduling, or poor planning.
The truth, though, is not complicated, if less than satisfying.
The California Interscholastic Federation scheduled these bowl games long ago, far before anyone could predict that two almost-neighboring small schools in the very same league would shine brightly enough to both represent Northern California in state title games. The remote possibility that Trans-Valley League fans might have to choose between two state championship games never crossed anyone’s mind.
Experts credit unusual community support in small towns and strong youth feeder programs for producing powerhouses like Ripon, Escalon and Hilmar. We’re fortunate that they’re all concentrated right here in the TVL where we can see them on a regular basis. Except when they’re playing for state titles at the same time.
If anything, we probably should be thankful that both Ripon and Escalon have a shot at winning it all rather than playing each other. That did happen, of course, in October when Ripon handed Escalon its only loss of the season, 42-21.
The schools ended up in different postseason brackets and both cruised to section and then NorCal titles. Last week alone, the Indians and Cougars outscored their opponents 72-31, The Modesto Bee’s Julian Lopez reported.
That earned Ripon (13-1) the right to host Highland (12-3) of Palmdale, while Escalon (13-1) will host La Jolla (10-4). At exactly the same time, only 12 miles apart.
Both SoCal schools, by the way, are huge next to ours; Highlands’ 2,800 students dwarf Ripon’s 950, while La Jolla has 1,500 compared to Escalon’s 800.
“I look at it like this: Fine. They can only put 11 on the field at one time, and so can we,” said Ripon Mayor Leo Zuber. He is not, by the way, just a beaming politician who lucked into being the civic leader of a town with tough and talented boys. A retired school district superintendent, Zuber now is the official time keeper for all Ripon home games, and will be on duty again at 6 p.m. Saturday.
“I can tell you,” he said, “there are going to be a lot of people in the stands with their phones tuned into MaxPreps, following Escalon’s game along with ours.”
That’s a reference to the high school sports site that updates scores throughout important games.
Another option is the NFHS Network, a subscriber service that live-streams games and also replays them later, suggests CIF spokeswoman Rebecca Brutlag. Still another option is following our reporters on Twitter — Lopez, who will be at Escalon, and Jim Silva, who is covering Ripon.
Ripon and Escalon are not the only near-neighbors this year forcing fans to pick between state title games, Brutlag noted. In a smaller division, Rancho Cotate and Cardinal Newman high schools — only 13 miles apart, with Santa Rosa smack in between — have the same dilemma.
It is, as they say, a good problem to have.
So stand proudly Saturday and join us in saying: Go Indians! And, Go Cougars!
And be sure to say them at exactly the same time.
