There are only two instances where it’s news if a high school team loses a football game. The first is if it’s your old school’s cross-town rival, you know, those arrogant bastards at Valley or West or whatever. When your 16-year-olds beat their 16-year-olds, why, it’s a great day for all of humanity, as good is triumphant over evil among even the youth of America.

(David and Goliath, in the dark days before tackle football.)

The other way it could be news is if that high school team hadn’t lost in a while. And by a while, let’s say, oh, 74 games. That was Maryville High, in central Tennessee, who had run roughshod over all opponents for over 5 years. They were one win away from wrapping up the Class 4A title last night, facing Hillsboro, which is a name that you would totally expect from a town in Tennessee.

But the BlueCross Bowl would be unkind to the Rebels that night, as three turnovers doomed their efforts in a 10-7 loss. Read more…