By MONTE DUTTON

I usually go to football games about 90 minutes early. I like to hang out and watch the band do its rehearsal. I take photos of trees and clouds. I chat with officials, ball boys and chain crews.

The people who work football games aren’t there for money. The tasks are thankless. All they ask is hydration and a place to rest at halftime. They are generally friendly. They smile frequently and laugh easily. If they do their jobs skillfully, no one offers much in the way of approval. If they mess up, thousands of fans scream bloody murder.

Fans blame the yellow flags, not the players who caused them. The faithful offer little faith in those who throw them.

Somebody’s got to do it. God love whose who do.

Basketball coaches, in particular, feel as if it’s one of their jobs to “work” the officials. Many believe they can affect the next call by making an uproar out of this one.

Baseball is the most outrageous. Its fans have incredible vision and perspective. They believe that, even though they have an impossible angle – oh, standing behind the right-field fence – they can call a ball or strike better than an umpire standing directly behind the plate.

Charlie Wentzky, who oversees football for the S.C. High School League, spoke to the Laurens County Touchdown Club on Thursday. The cans generated by football have enough worms in them to dig an acre of topsoil and bait the hooks of a bamboo forest.

We weren’t holding. They were holding.

That running back’s 21 years old.

The head linesman runs the other team’s booster club.

Players make mistakes. Coaches make mistakes. Sportswriters make mistakes. The fielding percentage of the umpire is almost always higher than the shortstop’s.

As the late Jimmy Buffett sang, Don’t ever forget that you just may wind up being wrong.

As incredible as this may seem, Clinton (6-2, 3-0 Region 1-2A) is not playing on Friday night. The lights of Wilder Stadium will be dark. The only remaining regular-season game is in Liberty, wherever that is.

But then … after three long seasons of losing deep in the playoffs on the road – to Daniel in 2021, Powdersville in 2022 and Belton-Honea Path last year – the bracket favors the Red Devils this year.

Clinton’s ancestral home is a tough place for a visitor to play. If the Red Devils, ranked fifth in Class 2A, make it to the state finals, it will mark the first time Clinton has to play anywhere else.

For this to happen, Clinton must nail down the region by defeating the other Red Devils on Nov. 8, provided Liberty (4-3, 1-1) defeats Blacksburg (3-5, 0-2) this Friday night. Clinton has already defeated Chesnee, Landrum and Blacksburg.

Laurens (1-7, 1-2 Region 1-4A) can waltz into the playoffs by defeating Emerald (4-4, 1-2) in Greenwood on Friday and Fountain Inn (5-3, 1-2) at home on Nov. 8.

Most would favor the Raiders’ opponents in both games. Most would also grant that Laurens has a decent shot.

Westside (7-0, 3-0) and Wren (6-1, 3-0) tower above the standings and play in Anderson on Friday night.

Four teams make the playoffs. Three are tied for third. Southside (0-8, 0-3) resides comfortably at the bottom and visits Westside in its finale, while Wren visits Emerald.

Laurens Academy (6-3, 3-2 SCISA 8-Man 1) attempts to repeat its earlier victory over King Academy (2-6, 1-2).

Wardlaw (7-1, 4-1) visits Richard Winn (8-0, 5-0) with the region title on the line.

Clinton advanced past Dixie, 4-2, on Wednesday in the first round of the Class A-2A state girls’ tennis playoffs.

# 1 Singles    Libby Dailey defeated Nicole Hershberger  6 – 0, 6 – 1

# 2 Singles     Addy Derrick defeated Olivia Stolzfus  6 – 0, 6 – 2

# 3 Singles    Merin Orr lost to Ashten Stoll  6 – 3, 6 – 4

# 4 Singles    Deborah Goldman defeated Alia Hershsberger  6 – 4, 6 – 3

# 5 Singles    Kayleigh Lawson lost to Campbell Dunn  6 – 2, 6 – 2

# 1 Doubles  Dailey & Derrick          DID NOT PLAY

# 2 Doubles  Abby McMurray & Savanna Fountain defeated Riley Skinner & Brooklyn Masterson  6 – 4, 6 – 0

Next up? The Red Devils visit Whitmire on Tuesday at 4 p.m. The winner of that match advances to play either Saluda or Chester on Nov. 7.

“LA’s mine but it ain’t home, New York’s home but it ain’t mine no more.” – Neil Diamond

Wellpilgrim.com is trying its best – translation: I’m trying – to describe the highs and lows and avoid the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. Highs and lows are inevitable because all the games have a loser and a winner, and  Wellpilgrim.com is trying its best – translation: I’m trying – to describe the highs and lows and avoid the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.

Highs and lows are inevitable because all the games have a loser and a winner, and when it’s done, they are the same number.

Support the advertisers. They are all fine people who support my efforts, not to mention those of the kids, coaches, parents and fans.

In the off chance you’d like to read my novels and other books, they’re available on Amazon and many prominent bookseller sites. You can read them on your phones and other devices for a modest cost. I make a bit more if you purchase the actual books, but what I mainly want is for folks to read them.

Longer Songs is a collection of short stories that grew out of songs I’ve written. Download it for your device, or order it in paperback.

Photo galleries are posted on Instagram @furmanatt and @laurenscountysports.

Thanks for putting up with me.