Favorite Photos of 2022

Sykotyk

Sykotyk

Well-known member
Week 0 was in Georgia. Including Mercedes-Benz Stadium.


GA - Parkview v. Johns Creek


GA - North Forsyth v. North Atlanta


GA - Forsyth Central v. Chattahoochee


GA - Brookwood v. Norcross

GA - Mill Creek v. Walton
 
 
Week 1 was the Battle at the Beach in Ocean City, New Jersey.


NJ - Mainland v. Egg Harbor Twp


NJ - Mainland v. Egg Harbor Twp


NJ - Ocean City v. Neshaminy


NJ - Delran v. Wayne Valley


NJ - Holy Spirit v. Cherokee


NJ - Cedar Creek v. Edison
 
Week 2 was back near home. Pennsylvania and New York.


PA - North East v. Girard


NY - Clymer/Sherman/Panama v. Wilson


NY - Salamanca v. Randolph




NY - Salamanca v. Randolph
 
Week 3 - Ohio and Pennsylvania


PA - Warren v. Girard (@ Youngsville)


PA - Warren v. Girard (@ Youngsville)


OH - Mentor Lake Catholic v. Erie (PA)


PA - Mercyhurst Prep v. Seneca


PA - Mercyhurst Prep v. Seneca


PA - Mercyhurst Prep v. Seneca
 
Week 4 was southeast New Mexico


NM - Jal v. Clovis


NM - Jal v. Clovis


NM - Hobbs v. Rio Rancho


NM - Hobbs v. Rio Rancho


TX - Kingdom Prep v. Abilene Christian

Week 5 was in South Dakota, Watertown and Aberdeen.


SD - Watertown v. Pierre T.F. Riggs


SD - Watertown v. Pierre T.F. Riggs (Lincoln Keinholz, QB most passing yards in SD history, committed to U of Washington)


SD - Ipswich v. Leola/Frederick (@ Northern State U.)
 
Week 6 was back in Ohio


OH - Akron North v. Akron Ellet


OH - Newton Falls v. Brookfield


NY - Clymer/Sherman/Panama v. Portville (@ Panama)


NY - Clymer/Sherman/Panama v. Portville (@ Panama)


PA - Cowanesque Valley v. North Penn-Mansfield

Week 7 was in Indiana


IN - Delta v. Greenfield-Central


IN - Delta v. Greenfield-Central


IN - Delta v. Greenfield-Central


IN - Union City v. Centerville


IN - Northeastern v. Knightstown


IN - Tri v. Hagerstown
 
Week 7 was back in South Dakota.


SD - Northwestern v. Warner


SD - Northwestern v. Warner


ND - Wyndmere/Lidgerwood v. Hatton/Northwood


ND - Wyndmere/Lidgerwood v. Hatton/Northwood

Week 8 is back in NM, with a thursday game in Arizona.


AZ - Tolleson Union v. Shadow Ridge


NM - Las Cruces Mayfield v. Roswell


NM - Las Cruces Mayfield v. Roswell


NM - Elida v. Animas (6-man)


NM - Elida v. Animas (6-man)


NM - Elida v. Animas (6-man)


NM - Elida v. Animas (6-man)
 
Texas & Kansas next.


TX - Follett v. White Deer (6-man)


TX - Follett v. White Deer (6-man)


KS - Holcomb v. Pratt


KS - Holcomb v. Pratt

Back to North Dakota. With 8 games at the Fargodome.


ND - Fertile-Beltrami (MN) v. Blackduck (MN)


ND - Kittson County Central (MN) v. Goodridge/Grygla-Gatzke (MN)


ND - Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton (MN) v. East Grand Forks (MN)


ND - Osakis (MN) v. Sauk Centre (MN)


ND - Barnesville (MN) v. Crookston (MN)
 
After a week in Iowa just as a fan, the next week was in Minnesota. On the sidelines at US Bank Stadium.


MN - Barnesville v. Jackson County Central


MN - Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton v. Fairmont

Week 14 was back at Heinz Field.... er, Acrisure Stadium


PA - Union v. Bishop Canevin


PA - Steel Valley v. Beaver Falls


PA - Aliquippa v. Central Valley

The following week was a few games in Ohio and West Virginia for state finals.


WV - Williamstown v. James Monroe
 
Week 16 was the six PIAA state championship games. First year at Chapman Field in Mechanicsburg.


PA - Union v. Steelton-Highspire


PA - Union v. Steelton-Highspire


PA - Aliquippa v. Bishop McDevitt


PA - Aliquippa v. Bishop McDevitt


PA - Aliquippa v. Bishop McDevitt


PA - Westinghouse v. Southern Columbia


PA - Westinghouse v. Southern Columbia


PA - Westinghouse v. Southern Columbia


PA - Pine-Richland v. Imhotep Charter


PA - Pine-Richland v. Imhotep Charter
 
Last of Week 16


PA - Belle Vernon v. Neumann-Goretti


PA - Belle Vernon v. Neumann-Goretti


PA - Belle Vernon v. Neumann-Goretti (9-8 final, BVA stopped NG at the goal line and then had to run out the clock to avoid the safety)

For Week 17, I wasn't going to make it to Texas in time for games. So, went to Fort Lauderdale for Saturday. No sideline. Just in the stands. Not a big crowd, at all.


FL - Lakeland v. Venice


FL - Lakeland v. Venice


FL - Lakeland v. Venice


FL - Miami Columbus v. Apopka


FL - Miami Columbus v. Apopka (blocked field goal, tied at 10-10 with 1 second left)


FL - Miami Columbus v. Apopka (Columbus wins, 16-13 in OT; Last game of the year)
 
Great photo’s. I believe you say you live near the Ohio-Pa border. I have a few questions if you don’t mind answering:
1) Is there a particular reason why you have gone to South Dakota, North Dakota and New Mexico multiple weeks?
2) With those 3 states being so low in population, is the football and atmosphere comparable to going to a Div 5 type of game here in Ohio
3) Finally the stands look fairly full in a lot of the photos. Is this because you are choosing a game of the week type matchup?

Again, great photos.
 
WJ-OSU-STEELERS said:
Great photo’s. I believe you say you live near the Ohio-Pa border. I have a few questions if you don’t mind answering:
1) Is there a particular reason why you have gone to South Dakota, North Dakota and New Mexico multiple weeks?
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Oil fields, mostly.

2) With those 3 states being so low in population, is the football and atmosphere comparable to going to a Div 5 type of game here in Ohio
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It depends. In all honesty, compared to the size of the schools, they'd outrank Ohio for atmosphere. Elida plays six-man. They have 166 students from PK to 12th. That's just over 10 per class. Their entire population of Elida is 197 (the school covers more than just the town, obviously). So, it is a major thing, but it's still going to be a small crowd. Because it was a Saturday afternoon, there was a cattle auction taking place on the other side of the school at the same time. Normally, Elida plays Friday nights. But Animas had to travel 397 miles (one way) for the regular season finale.

Jal, for instance, is 11-man, but has only 129 total students in 9th through 12th in the high school. The school is beautiful though with a full track and turf field. Which I was told they're replacing the turf for next year. Courtesy of the tax revenue from the oil industry in the area.

For SD & ND, every game I went to was a 9-man game. Except for Watertown v. Pierre. That was mostly because Watertown has a really cool old WPA stadium that was built for baseball and football just fits there. The Aberdeen games were a doubleheader at Northern State University. While Northwestern and Wyndmere/Lidgerwood were both 9-man games at their respective home fields. The playoff game at Wyndmere had an incredible atmosphere for small town football. Once schools reach a certain size, the stands aren't really used. Fans stand around the field or sit in the cars pulled up to the sidelines. Also works well when it's cold and for elderly and disabled to just park around the field.

One stadium I haven't been to yet is South Dakota School of Mines. Where both Rapid City public high schools also play. It was designed with three levels of car parking along the visitor sidelines just for that purpose. And I do intend to see a game there at some point.

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3) Finally the stands look fairly full in a lot of the photos. Is this because you are choosing a game of the week type matchup?

Again, great photos.
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I don't put much thought into which game to attend based on matchup. It is moreso where I want to see a game. Usually some small town I've been to or through that I figure if I'm ever in the area I'll catch a game some day. So, when the opportunity arises, I'll go. Though if it's a really bad matchup, I might hold off and go elsewhere. Especially since both New Mexico AND South Dakota have a 50 point sudden death mercy rule. They both having the 35 point running clock. But 50 points ends the game. Kansas also has a 45 point rule for their 6 and 8 man football. But not 11. Texas has the 45 rule for 6-man. No other state that I'm aware of uses sudden death mercy rules. Although I'm sure there's a six-man state out there somewhere that I don't know about. I know Wyoming plays to the bitter end.

As for why the stands are packed? Because there's nothing else to do. HS Sports are still the big deal out west in the small towns. Which is why six man will squeak by with sometimes just six players on the team just trying to keep afloat. One of the favorite games I ever went to was Grass Range/Winnett v. Rosebud in Montana.

(these next few photos are from 2011 from a Blackberry. Quality was optional)



Two winless teams playing the last game of the season. Grass Range had only 9 players. One was a senior, no juniors, and most of them were freshmen. The game had about 70 fans at it. And it was televised for local public access on cable. Grass Range was down 30-19 after giving up a kickoff return for a TD. But ended up winning 39-36 thanks to a 4th down stop late in the game.




the track


home side


Rosebud's bus


Final

That is still, probably, my most memorable game I've ever attended. Sadly, Rosebud ended their football program a few years later. Due to the lack of seniors, Grass Range played a JV schedule in 2012. They brought back the varsity team and made it all the way to the state semifinals in 2018. And then numbers finally caught up to them. They formed a co-op in 2021 with Denton/Geyser/Stanford who already had a co-op. It was Montana's first ever 5-school co-op. Due to travel, Grass Range and Winnett gave in and formed a co-op with Fergus. Like Grass Range, Fergus is located in Fergus County. In Lewistown, which is the county seat and by far the largest town. Holding almost 6000 of the county's 11,500 population. Also, the county is about 1/10th the size of Ohio. Lewistown (as many Montana schools are known by their town's name not the school's name) play 11-man, and with Grass Range and Winnett joined, won the state title this year.

Winnett, meanwhile, is the county seat of Petroleum County. Montana's last county. Which has a total population of 496 souls. Winnett makes up 188 of that number. Winnett High School has 19 total students. Petroleum County is larger than Rhode Island. That's bigger than Stark, Tuscawarwas, and Wayne Counties, combined. With only 496 people.

It sometimes seems incomprehensible how empty some of this country is until you visit it. And it's just miles upon miles of nothingness.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1511189652664844288
 
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Previous Years, my favorite photos:


2014 - Shaker Heights v. Stow-Munroe Falls


2018 - Bucktail (Renovo, PA) v. Nativity BVM (PA)


2018 - Pittsburgh City League, Cupples Stadium


2018 - Reynolds (PA) v. Maplewood (PA)


2018 - Ferndale (Johnstown, PA) v. Purchase Line (PA)


2018 - Rochester Aquinas (NY) v. New Rochelle (NY)


2019 - Monticello (UT) v. Monument Valley (UT)


2019 - Youngstown East v. Pittsburgh Perry (PA) - Three Yards and a Cloud of Dust


2019 - Rising Star (TX) v. Three Way (TX)


2019 - Ellis (KS) v. La Crosse (KS) - Skyhook, Touchdown Catch


2019 - Moorcroft (WY) v. Glenrock (WY) - Student Section Telling Jokes


2019 - Clymer/Sherman/Panama (NY) v. Franklinville/Ellicottville (NY)


2019 - Western Boone (IN) v. Marion Eastbrook (IN)


2020 - Aspermont (TX) v. Turkey Valley (TX)


2020 - Alexander (ND) v. Drayton (ND) - David v. Goliath


2020 - Mohawk (PA) at Ellwood City Lincoln (PA)


2020 - Clarksville Clinton-Massie v. Batavia


2020 - Penn Hills v. Kiski Area - So Much Room For Activities


2020 - Hopewell-Loudon at Tiffin Calvert


2020 - Steubenville Catholic Central v. Bridgeport
 

2020 - Bentworth (PA) v. Avella (PA)


2020 - Baldwin (PA) at Seneca Valley (PA) - Sliver of Green


2020 - Pine-Richland (PA) v. Governor Mifflin (PA) - Photo I got into the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

www.post-gazette.com

Pine-Richland makes great comeback to beat Governor Mifflin in state semifinals

Cole Spencer’s 54-yard touchdown run wins it with two minutes left.
www.post-gazette.com www.post-gazette.com


2020 - Jersey Shore (PA) v. Thomas Jefferson (PA) - Scorpion Catch


2021 Spring - Cedar Hill (TX) v. Rockwall-Heath (TX) - Game Winning Overtime Catch


2021 Spring - Hurley (VA) v. Honaker (VA) - The Cliff


2021 Spring - Salamanca (NY) v. Maple Grove (NY) - Blizzard


2021 Spring - Clymer/Sherman/Panama (NY) v. Springville Griffith (NY) - Pick Six To Start the Season


2021 Spring - Roxborough (PA) v. Kensington (PA) - Grass Isn't Always Greener


2021 Spring - Chester (PA) v. Academy Park (PA) - Commodore Barry Bridge


2021 Spring - Frankford (PA) v. Boys Latin Charter (PA) - Uncalled Face Mask



2021 Spring - Clymer/Sherman/Panama (NY) v. Falconer/Cassadaga Valley


2021 Spring - Clymer/Sherman/Panama (NY) v. Fredonia (NY) - Here comes the Wolfpack


2021 Spring - Portville (NY) v. Salamanca (NY) - 6-0 Snow Game


2021 Spring - Maritime/Health Sciences (NY) v. Iroquois (NY) - Winning a Section Title in OT



2021 Spring - Abraham Lincoln (NY) v. James Madison (NY) on Coney Island in Brooklyn
 
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2021 - Gainesville (GA) v. Johns Creek (GA) - Punt Block


2021 - Seneca (PA) v. Northwestern (PA)


2021 - Arcanum v. Ansonia


2021 - Delta (IN) v. Yorktown (IN) - You Win Some


2021 - Kennedy Catholic (PA) vs. Iroquois (PA) at Harbor Creek (PA) - You Lose Some


2021 - Clymer/Sherman/Panama (NY) v. Randolph (NY) - Sometimes It's Not Your Day


2021 - Salamanca (NY) v. Fredonia (NY) - Uncalled DPI


2021 - Redbank Valley (PA) at Smethport (PA)


2021 - Pittsburgh Perry (PA) v. Pittsburgh Allderdice (PA) - Perfect Punt



2021 - Round Valley (AZ) v. Snowflake (AZ)


2021 - Pine Hill (NM) v. Dulce (NM) - Senior Day and Homecoming Combined




2021 - Grants (NM) v. Albuquerque St. Pius X
 

2021 - Liberal Buffalo Hooker


2021 - Hooker (OK) v. Mooreland (OK)


2021 - Natoma (KS) v. Cunningham (KS) - Reaching For A State Title


2021 - Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley (IA) v. Solon (IA) - Birds Eye View


2021 - Belle Vernon (PA) v. Aliquippa (PA) - Leaping Leopard


2021 - Wyomissing (PA) v. Central Valley (PA) - Tommy Grabowski With the TD saving Interception
 
algernonsidney said:
Thank you for posting these.
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Thanks.

I've got my 2022 Recap done if interested to read.

sykotyk.com

2022 Year In Review - Sykotyk Football

2022 Year In Review After the last two years, it’s hard to say that a season was unusual. 2020 had so many twists and turns. Including spring games until June in New York City. Last year, there was some turbulence with scheduling. And I hurt my back after my trip to Arizona and things went …...
sykotyk.com
 
Sykotyk said:
Last of Week 16


PA - Belle Vernon v. Neumann-Goretti


PA - Belle Vernon v. Neumann-Goretti


PA - Belle Vernon v. Neumann-Goretti (9-8 final, BVA stopped NG at the goal line and then had to run out the clock to avoid the safety)

For Week 17, I wasn't going to make it to Texas in time for games. So, went to Fort Lauderdale for Saturday. No sideline. Just in the stands. Not a big crowd, at all.


FL - Lakeland v. Venice


FL - Lakeland v. Venice


FL - Lakeland v. Venice


FL - Miami Columbus v. Apopka


FL - Miami Columbus v. Apopka (blocked field goal, tied at 10-10 with 1 second left)


FL - Miami Columbus v. Apopka (Columbus wins, 16-13 in OT; Last game of the year)
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YOU sir, appear to get around! Do you ever get into SOUTH Georgia? THAT'S where the rubber meets the road on football Friday nights. Many people want the state championships back in local communities! They don't remember the days when 10,000 seat stadiums were available. And 30,000 seats were needed. Our 1991 and 1994 State Championships between Colquitt-Lagrange, and Colquitt-Valdosta, were sold put in ONE HOUR on MONDAY AM! People had camped out the night before, to get first in line at the ticket booth. I took the day off from work in 1994, to trek the 225 miles on Sunday night, from my home near Augusta, to get my tickets. And dear ole mom had let me sleep in an extra hourOOOOH NOOOOO! When I got to the ticket booth at the high school, there were 2000 people in line. And when I left with NO tickets, there were another 2000 still in line behind me! In 1991 when we played future National Champion Lagrange, I had to go from Augusta, to Lagrange to get my tickets, and to Moultrie , via a Kendrick-Southwest Dekalb state championship game on Friday night in Columbus. Just another playoff season in Georgia.
 
SWGA Fan said:
YOU sir, appear to get around! Do you ever get into SOUTH Georgia? THAT'S where the rubber meets the road on football Friday nights. Many people want the state championships back in local communities! They don't remember the days when 10,000 seat stadiums were available. And 30,000 seats were needed. Our 1991 and 1994 State Championships between Colquitt-Lagrange, and Colquitt-Valdosta, were sold put in ONE HOUR on MONDAY AM! People had camped out the night before, to get first in line at the ticket booth. I took the day off from work in 1994, to trek the 225 miles on Sunday night, from my home near Augusta, to get my tickets. And dear ole mom had let me sleep in an extra hourOOOOH NOOOOO! When I got to the ticket booth at the high school, there were 2000 people in line. And when I left with NO tickets, there were another 2000 still in line behind me! In 1991 when we played future National Champion Lagrange, I had to go from Augusta, to Lagrange to get my tickets, and to Moultrie , via a Kendrick-Southwest Dekalb state championship game on Friday night in Columbus. Just another playoff season in Georgia.
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The closest I got was 2017. My ex and I drove down to Disney World and stopped at games in WV and VA and on the way back planned for games in GA, AL, and TN on the way back. However, Hurricane Irma postponed all Georgia games that week. So, even though the hurricane hit Florida before we got there, and then on the way home went to two games in Alabama instead. So far, my only Georgia games have been in the Corky Kell around metro Atlanta and the state finals at the Georgia Dome and Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

I have toured several stadiums down in south Georgia. Waycross, Valdosta, Lowndes, Sylvester, Bainbridge,... But my all-time 'I want to see a game there' is Elberton's Granite Bowl.

Georgia did have an interesting setup years ago. Instead of the finals at the Georgia Dome, all ten semifinals were held at the Georgia Dome and then the state finals were held at the higher seed the following week. Definitely a unique setup in the country. Also they allowed ties in the state title game but had overtime in the other games.
 
ayCC! said:
What kind of gear do you use to shoot these? Really good pics.
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Canon Rebel t7i and a Canon Rebel t8i. Lenses are a Tamron G2 f2.8 70-200mm and a Tamron f2.8-4 17-35mm wide angle. Had a Tamron f2.8 18-55mm but honestly never liked it so got the 17-35 to replace it. Even at f4 so much sharper than the old one.
 
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