It has happened.

The event area football fans have been anxiously awaiting all season is here. The Edgar High School and the Stratford High School football teams will face off at the WIAA state football championships on Thursday at Camp Randall Stadium, Madison.

Winner takes all.

Bragging rights for at least the next year.

After Thursday the score will be settled and it won’t matter who won the conference match up earlier this year. And it won’t matter who has more state titles or who has been to state more...or more recently.

All that will matter will be the result. One of the two teams will come home with the big gold ball and will most definitely say, “We are the best. We are number one. We are the state champions.”

Meanwhile the other team can proudly say they went toe-to-toe, head-to-head with the best, the state champs. Although they will come home with a smaller, silver ball, they will have nothing to be ashamed of. 

No matter what the outcome is on Thursday, I hope both teams hold their heads high and show everyone that is watching, because you know everyone is watching, what fine characters we have here in Edgar and Stratford.

I want to be proud to say I am from the communities. Yes, I live in that unique corner where I live in both communities. I am a Stratford School District resident however I have an Edgar address.

Thursday’s match up has the entire area excited. As I made my rounds on Monday people from every community, Athens, Abbotsford, Owen-Withee, have been asking me about the state championship match up.

“Who do you think will win?”

My response has been that I honestly don’t know. I can’t even guess. Both teams are good. Both teams deserve to be there and it just depends on how they perform on Thursday. 

“Who do you want to win?”

I am guaranteed a state champion to write about regardless of who wins. That is what I am happy about. It is very difficult to go to a state championship game and watch the team you are covering lose. It is hard to write a nice story about a team losing at state. At least this year I am guaranteed a winner, whoever that may be.

“This is huge, are you excited?”

Of course I am excited.

This match up is huge and I’m excited to see the rivals battle it out on Thursday. 

I wish good luck and safe travels to all the players, coaches, fans and families on Thursday! 

See you in Madison!