The arrival of fall has always presented me with a bit of a conundrum. As a fan of summer, I enjoy the warmer days with daylight lasting well into the early evening. Fall certainly has its better qualities with pleasant days, cool evenings and the annual display of color Mother Nature affords us. It is not so much I dislike fall; it’s just that it is a constant reminder of what is awaiting us a few months down the road.

Autumn’s first Saturday arrived in absolute brilliance. After the prevalent morning fog dissipated, it couldn’t have presented a more perfect day with blue skies, a calm breeze, and the sun’s waning warmth bearing down. We left some waiting household chores behind us and decided to take a walk down to the South Williamsport Community Park. As we arrived, we were greeted by a textbook example of the importance of community parks, no matter where you may reside.

The park was a beehive of activity. There was a varsity girls’ soccer match taking place between the undefeated Mountaineers and Jersey Shore. The parking lots were jammed, and hundreds of fans lined the sidelines. On an adjacent field, elementary youngsters were engaged in their own soccer games. Further along the complex, a bevy of youth football teams were in spirited competition. The tennis courts were in action as the whiffs of the nearby chicken on the grill beckoned folks to the Lions Club BBQ that was in the midst of serving over 900 customers. Earlier in the morning, a 5K charity race used the park as its staging area for competing runners.

What had begun as a leisurely walk transformed into a pleasant social experience as conversations with friends and acquaintances ruled the roost. Unfortunately, a few of the same came from Yankee fans, reminding me of the recent ineptitude my Red Sox had exhibited in that weekend series.

But, to me, the day was a stark reminder that no matter what your sports rooting interest may be, this time of the year seems to have something for just about everyone. With some interesting pennant races down the stretch now determined, MLB has begun its playoffs, presenting fans with games that really do matter nearly every day this month. The NFL is well underway. Penn State fans are in their glory after the Nittany Lions had climbed to number 4 in the polls after the first four games. Both the NBA and NHL will soon be launching their new seasons, and while it may seem impossible, high school football teams only have four regular-season games left on their schedule.

For decades those Friday Night lights have presented me with tremendous memories as I have gone about my duties as both the Mountaineers statistician and PA announcer for home games at the venerable Rodney K. Morgans Stadium. “Venerable” may not be the word visiting fans and teams have used to describe their South Williamsport experience, and of late, some PIAA game officials have grumbled about the field conditions. The nearly 90-year-old edifice is showing its age, and some pre-COVID plans to upgrade facilities have been put on hold, but that is a story for future years.

But something I witnessed from my press box perch following the Mountaineers hard-fought, fan-pleasing 34-29 win over a determined Montgomery Red Raiders team on a Monday Night rescheduled game left me feeling pretty good about the importance of athletic competition and the values it teaches those who play the game.

In the face of a statistical disadvantage that featured a brilliant performance by South Williamsport running back Lane Lusk (245 yards rushing, four touchdowns, a 67-yard interception return, and seven tackles), the Red Raiders showed no fear in South’s infamous Pit. They had their own heroes in a game that saw three ties and the Raiders holding a 21-14 lead after three quarters.

Montgomery seniors Logan Almeida and Maurice Walters were impressive. Quarterback Almeida completed 16 passes for 156 yards, including a TD toss to Walters, and rushed for two more Red Raider scores. Walters was on the receiving end of six Almeida tosses and shocked the Mountaineers with a 91-yard kickoff return tying the game at 14 just: 14 seconds after South Williamsport had taken a 14-7 lead. Walters was also instrumental as a pass defender harassing would-be South receivers.

Montgomery had closed to 34-29 with just 1:38 remaining on an Almeida TD and a two-point pass conversion to Weston Pick. Their valiant comeback attempt fell short as they watched hopelessly as South QB Landon Lorson took a knee on the game’s final two plays. The game was over, but the sportsmanship wasn’t.

Obviously dejected by the scoreboard’s final score, Almeida stood much taller than his 5’8” frame. Before joining his teammates in Montgomery’s post-game huddle, he walked to the other end of the field into the midst of his blue-shirted foe and shook hands with a brief conversation to those he had just competed against.

Montgomery entered the game with players holding up red oars in deference to their team slogan, “Row the Boat.” They left the stadium with new-found respect under the leadership of Logan Almeida, who left it all on the field both during the game and after.