Our View: Looking forward to a game for champions

Football doesn’t get much better than what we’re likely to see Friday night. Yes, there are higher levels of play, brighter stars, bigger stadiums and fans so devoted to their teams that their enthusiasm knows no bounds.

Regardless, we prefer games and teams like those playing for the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division III championship at Stockton’s Lincoln High School at 7 p.m. That’s when the perfect Central Catholic Raiders square off against the nearly perfect Oakdale Mustangs.

After 14 weeks of high school football, across 16 counties, the section D3 championship comes down to two teams from Stanislaus County. They are the best of the section, and it wasn’t even close. When we mentioned that Oakdale was nearly perfect, that’s because these teams have already played each other once. Central Catholic prevailed by less than a touchdown in perhaps the most exciting game of the season. With more at stake, expect the rematch to be just as good.

If you want to learn more about what makes these teams so good, their strategies and stars, turn to Sports and modbee.com. Our sportswriters have covered these teams thoroughly throughout the year and we’ll continue to cover them all the way through Sunday’s editions and beyond, since the winner advances to the Northern California playoffs.

But football is only a small part of what makes this game special, just as football is only a small part of what makes any individual player special.

Start with mutual respect. In that first game, we saw no taunting and none of the over-the-top celebrations that mar NFL games. We didn’t have half-drunk fans pointing fingers or picking fights in the stands, as is common in college and pro venues. What we saw were teams of dignified, respectful, stalwart young men playing a game in which they all excell.

It was a great game – but it was just a game. Just as winning didn’t make the Central Catholic players better humans, losing didn’t make Oakdale’s players any worse. Just the opposite. Judging from their comments and conduct after the game, players on both sides kept the game in perspective and actually appreciated the efforts of their opponents. After all, players on elite teams best understand the dedication and sacrifice required to become champions; it’s something that connects them in a way nothing else can.

So it is fitting that both the Mustangs and Raiders have arrived in the Section championship game.

This game will likely be played with off-the-charts effort, incredible enthusiasm and pure emotion. We trust that won’t boil over, at least not much. Why? These kids aren’t strangers, and neither are their coaches. In fact, they’re neighbors. When the game is over, they’ll all head south to come home.

There’s something else we like about these schools. While football is obviously important, it is not the only important thing on either campus. Don’t forget Oakdale’s Academic Decathlon team has a championship streak longer than the football team’s, and every year roughly 95 percent of Central Catholic’s graduates advance to higher education. We could cite many more examples. Priorities appear to be in order on both campuses.

Football doesn’t get much better than a championship game. But winning alone won’t make players champions; that comes from within. Big games, big moments just give it an opportunity to shine through.

This story was originally published December 2, 2015 at 10:43 AM with the headline "Our View: Looking forward to a game for champions."