SAC attack

And so, to reiterate: The Blob prides itself on not being particularly provincial.

Except when it is.

Which brings us to last night, and a moment that should bring out the provincialism in all of us who call the Fort home. The moment happened with eight seconds to play in the Class 5A state championship football game last night, when Isaac Stiebeling of Snider wormed his way into the end zone to give Snider a preposterous 64-61 lead in a football game that had already been preposterous.

The Panthers, after all, once led No. 1 and undefeated New Palestine 42-14. Preposterous.

The Dragons proceeded to score 35 straight points to take a 49-42 lead. Preposterous.

The Panthers then rallied for the victory, winning head coach Kurt Tippmann his first state title, Snider its first in 23 years, and everyone outside of Bishop Luers in the Summit Athletic Conference its first since Wayne won the 4A title in 1995.

Preposterous.

Even more preposterous, however, than winning a football title by a basketball score -- a not all-that-rare circumstance in a world where no level of football below the NFL plays defense anymore -- was that the Panthers did it against a football team that was as close to a mortal lock as you get on the high school level.  Under head coach Kyle Ralph, the Dragons had won 41 of their last 42 games, and showed no inclination to stop now.

Except, of course, they did.

So raise a cheer for Snider, and for the SAC in general. It's a strong conference that only got stronger when Homestead and Carroll came aboard this season -- and if Bishop Dwenger can follow Snider's lead tonight and win the 4A title, it'll own two of the state's 12 state championships this fall.

And that's well worth getting provincial about.