It's been 247 days since Waukegan's bid for the 2009 Class 4A state championship ended in a shoulda/woulda/coulda loss to Young in the final game of the season.

If you want pressure, there is nothing quite like a semifinal setting. The conference championship games in the NFL, the conference finals in the NBA and NHL, the league championship series in baseball, those are the arenas where pressure is at a peak.

Let's meander about a bit today in the wide world of high school sports. We can start with one of the most kid-oriented coaches I've ever had the pleasure to know and work with: Lincoln-Way East boys and girls soccer coach and assistant girls basketball coach Brian Papa.

On this semifinal week in the state high school football playoffs, the positive thought is our area has a good chance to boast two winners, two teams advancing to next weekend's state championships in Champaign.