Another high school sports season has flown by. It seems like it was just yesterday we enjoyed Friday Night Lights with the first football kickoff. Now, the final games of the spring will be Friday when the Juniata Indians play for a PIAA Class 3-A softball crown at Penn State and the Mt. Union Trojans play for the PIAA Class 2-A baseball crown at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park in State College.

Kudos to all the athletes, coaches and support staff for an amazing year.

The fall will be remembered for the turnaround of Mifflin County.

Huskies football team despite the tragic death of their former coach, Scot Sechler. It was the lives he touched, rallying a team and a town around him during his courageous battle with cancer. He shaped Mifflin County football for the better.

There was also Juniata football, which has maintained a legacy of winning for decades. They captured the District 6 crown on the gridiron.

Through the cold winter weather with basketball buzzer-beaters and wrestling takedowns, and finally the spring where we enjoyed the balls and strikes of baseball and softball seasons. There were also magic moments in track and field and many other sports.

The high school sports season has certainly been filled with thrills of victory and agonies of defeat, stealing the historic line from the opening of ABC’s Worldwide of Sports back in the day.

Athletics are a funny thing. No matter our location or knowledge of sports, they can bring a community together in a moment of solidarity. Win or lose, we share in the athletes’ sense of pride and achievement. They deserve all the credit in the world for their perseverance and sacrifice.

Whether you are an athlete who competed in the fall, winter or spring – or any combination of the three – cheers to you! Thanks for doing what you do. Your dedication to your sport is tireless and your efforts are appreciated by your coaches, family and fans.

Before you take that final bow, there are two games remaining in the spring sports season. All eyes will be focused on those two games on Friday.

You’ve read about the Indians head coach Erin Cressman and her coaches and team all season long. The Indians – with junior Elizabeth Gaisior, the “Queen of the K” – are just one win away from winning the school’s second PIAA team title. She racked up 20 strikeouts against Jamestown in the state semifinals.

Some clutch hits by Gaisior, Juniata’s Alexa Kuhn and Sophie Smith provided ample offense.

Mt. Union reached the state final this season thanks to a complete-team effort. Cameron Donaldson and Braylan Knable each homered in the state semifinal. In the state quarterfinal, Ryan Plank recorded four hits and two RBIs. On the mound, Bryce Danish tossed 5 1/3 innings, allowed two earned runs and struck out eight batters.

These ladies and gentlemen had a dream the first time they put on a glove or stepped to the plate and hit that first ball to reach the pinnacle of the game. On Friday, they will have the chance to live out those dreams.

Best of luck! We are very proud of you!