In my blog last month I talked about the possibility that we could see quite a few repeat section champions in the fall sports, but that statement turned out to be true and not true. Let me explain.

The "big three" sports for the fall are considered to be football, boy's soccer, and girl's volleyball. In those three sports there were no repeat champions in the Division I and Division II brackets. However, the teams that lost in the Division I and Division II championships in all three of those sports all won last year, so last year's winners did at least make it back to the section championships.

In the rest of the section championships for football, boy's soccer, and girl's volleyball, there were seven repeat champions and five new champions.

In the other four fall sports, not counting cross country, almost all teams repeated as champions. Girl's sports such as tennis, golf, and water polo, plus boy's water polo, had eight teams repeat as champions in the combined 10 championships that were up for grabs.

So there were certainly many repeat champions this past fall, but for the upper two divisions in the "big three" sports we did not see one repeat champion and I think is a good thing overall.

Oddly enough, in two sports where the same teams dominate, we saw winning streaks come to an end. Two of the most dominate teams in the fall the past several years have been the Rio Americano girl's water polo team and the St. Francis golf team.

Rio Americano had won all nine Division II girl's water polo titles since the format started back in 2002, didn't even make it to the championship match this year. 

St. Francis, which had won every Masters golf championship since the format started back in 2006, took 3rd place in this year's match.

So, what is the point to all of this? Well, I guess I was both right and wrong. We did see many champions repeat, but we didn't see a single team repeat as champions in the top two divisions of the "big three" sports and that's a good thing. New blood is always good.

In all the other sports, it was the same teams repeating with a few surprises.

Fortunately or unfortunately, I see many of the same teams competing for section titles in the winter sports as well, but that's why they play the games.

What do you like to see in high school sports? Do you like to see the same teams dominate a particular sport or do you like to see more competitive balance?

Email me with your thoughts on the topic:   mike.finnerty@surewestsports.com

In my blog last month I talked about the possibility that we could see quite a few repeat section champions in the fall sports, but that statement turned out to be true and not true. Let me explain.

The "big three" sports for the fall are considered to be football, boy's soccer, and girl's volleyball. In those three sports there were no repeat champions in the Division I and Division II brackets. However, the teams that lost in the Division I and Division II championships in all three of those sports all won last year, so last year's winners did at least make it back to the section championships.

In the rest of the section championships for football, boy's soccer, and girl's volleyball, there were seven repeat champions and five new champions.

In the other four fall sports, not counting cross country, almost all teams repeated as champions. Girl's sports such as tennis, golf, and water polo, plus boy's water polo, had eight teams repeat as champions in the combined 10 championships that were up for grabs.

So there were certainly many repeat champions this past fall, but for the upper two divisions in the "big three" sports we did not see one repeat champion and I think is a good thing overall.

Oddly enough, in two sports where the same teams dominate, we saw winning streaks come to an end. Two of the most dominate teams in the fall the past several years have been the Rio Americano girl's water polo team and the St. Francis golf team.

Rio Americano had won all nine Division II girl's water polo titles since the format started back in 2002, didn't even make it to the championship match this year. 

St. Francis, which had won every Masters golf championship since the format started back in 2006, took 3rd place in this year's match.

So, what is the point to all of this? Well, I guess I was both right and wrong. We did see many champions repeat, but we didn't see a single team repeat as champions in the top two divisions of the "big three" sports and that's a good thing. New blood is always good.

In all the other sports, it was the same teams repeating with a few surprises.

Fortunately or unfortunately, I see many of the same teams competing for section titles in the winter sports as well, but that's why they play the games.

What do you like to see in high school sports? Do you like to see the same teams dominate a particular sport or do you like to see more competitive balance?

Email me with your thoughts on the topic:   mike.finnerty@surewestsports.com