Friday Night Lights

Not to give away my age, but I haven’t been to a high school football game since October 1984.

With The Button a freshman at Pioneer, we attended our first home football game against the Lincoln Railsplitters. Ann Arbor residents know that the Pioneers have had a rough few weeks. The team forfeited victories from their first two away games when it was discovered they had an ineligible player, and then we were thumped last week at Saline.

But there was finally some good news last night at Hollway Field. The first quarter saw the Railsplitters ahead 13-7, mostly due to some sloppy playing by Pioneer. It actually was feeling a little bit like recent events at the Big House up the street. But then the Pioneer team, and particularly QB Nader Furrha, found their groove and Pioneer ultimately beat Lincoln 58 to 13.

Some things appeared to have changed a lot in high school football since 1984. For instance, quarterbacks have learned to pass (and receivers to catch) – Furrha has a great arm, and appears to have a lot of poise on the field.

Other things haven’t changed, like the Marching Band playing oldies during halftime (view clip). Only now the "oldies" are some of MY songs! The Button is highly embarrassed by my ability to sing along with "Eye of the Tiger." She can't even imagine – wait ‘til the band adds “Almost Paradise” to their repertoire.