Football is over and done in Panola County for 2011.

It has been a decade since we have been faced with that fact of life.

However, I feel that everyone outside of Panola County is joyous that the state championship is not going through South Panola this year – in a manner of speaking.

The coaches are saying all the right words to try to make the players and fans feel better but honestly, it stinks.

It is such a devastating feeling inside to know there is no South Panola or North Delta football game the Friday after Thanksgiving. We have been riding this train so long that this abrupt stop is hard to deal with.

We usually go to the press conference the Monday before the state championship where the north half trophies are presented and leaders and coaches from the teams meet and have lunch. Nine straight years of that is hard to get over in one night.

I dread the night of the state championship. I remember what 1999 felt like. I bet many of you do too. We had gone to the state championship for three straight years but lost the north half game to Madison Central by one point that year. It was such an awful feeling not to be there cheering on South Panola.

North Delta took us to the state championship for two straight years in 2000 and 2001 but we have not returned with them yet. The last two years we have been so close to returning but (sigh), we have not been able to breach the hump.

I hear, “we can’t be expected to win all the time.”

Why not? I have gotten used to it.

This may or may not make some of the players feel bad, but I have a feeling what I am saying is not as bad as what they are feeling.

I know they played hard and to the best of their abilities.

They made us wish and dream and hope for big things from the gridiron and in return we give them our support.

So, I know the sun has come up again and it is not the end of the world, but it is the end of high school football in this county this year without a trophy to set in the case.