Letter: One problem with the playoffs

To the Editor:

I watched a number of the state championship football games this weekend. It’s great that the kids were on TV and their play as sophomores, juniors and seniors was impressive. I still have one problem with the playoffs. The Chicago Catholic league was dominant once again. Why does this bother me?

Schools such as Peoria, Batavia and Lincoln-Way East rely on kids who live in a prescribed district. You have to live in Batavia to play for the Bulldogs.

Loyola, Mt. Carmel and Nazareth draw players from far and wide. Those kids are very good, but they all don’t live in Willmette to play for the Ramblers. The pool of players they draw from is far and wide, not confined to a specific school district boundary. Kids want to play for a state championship. I don’t blame them, and their chances are far greater playing for perennial winners is a pathway to college ball.

Can kids from Lincoln-Way or Peoria earn college opportunities? Sure they can, but the odds of their playing for a state title is remote. It just doesn’t seem like the playing field is on an even keel. It won’t change, but there seems to be another way to set up the playoffs. Perhaps a Catholic state championship would seem to be a better way to run things.

Don Lass

Oswego