Ladies and gentlemen, we stand on the precipice of an exciting time in our community and that time is the official kickoff of football season. Is football the current national pastime? I don’t know, but what I do know is that high school football is huge here in the bluegrass. From the big dogs to the small schools we love our high school pig skin in this town and for good reason. I will admit my own “giddiness” surrounding every year. I will not however, admit that I actually used the term giddiness at any point in the future.
With that in mind though, and with high school football starting in August I thought it only appropriate to take a look at the most important people surrounding the game. I’m not talking about the athletes, coaches, or directors; nor am I talking about cheerleaders or pep clubs, I’m not even talking about the fans that pack the stands to cheer on their respective teams. I’m talking about the mascots, as much as I love sport I love mascots nearly as much. I’ve even covered them a little personally, however I thought for this month of pig skin it’d be only appropriate to have a tournament of sorts featuring local high schools’ squaring off against each other one on one.
Schools will be divided into the kind of institution they are (i.e. public/private etc.) and then each representative will go head to head with the mascots from the other representatives. Keep in mind, these aren’t related to the school’s academics or even athletics, that’s completely unimportant in this tournament, here we look at one thing and one thing alone: the mascot.
So, without further adieu let’s kick things off with a smaller bracket- the Independent Private mascot bracket. Eight mascots will be competing to attempt to make it to the next round.
Academy for Individual Excellence Cougar vs. Christian Academy of Louisville Centurion
In this particular matchup, one must look at the gravitas surrounding both mascots the Cougar vs. the Centurion. Now, a centurion is essentially a gladiator style warrior. Which means, that from a historical perspective and if nothing else this tournament is about education, the centurion would inevitably either tame or evade the cougar.
Winner: The Centurion
Highlands Latin School Highlander vs. Kentucky Country Day Bearcat
“There can be only one highlander” and apparently that one highlander isn’t in Scottland at all but rather is in the Derby City. For the record- that’s brilliant if they intended for the Connery connection. Sadly, I doubt they did which means that as the highlander stood upon the hill indicating he was the greatest in the land the bearcat would just jump on top of him when he wasn’t paying attention. Lesson: you can’t turn your back on a bearcat!
Winner: The Bearcat
Louisville Collegiate School Titan vs. Northside Christian School Gator
Ah, that age old battle of Titan vs. Gator, but at the end of the day size has to play a factor were dealing with a giant and a regular sized alligator. Now gators are ferocious however it rarely comes across a being with the size and tenacity of a Titan.
Winner: Titan
Portland Christian School Eagle vs. Whitefield Academy Wildcat
A bird vs. a wildcat, for some reason this seems familiar in area sports but I can’t put my finger on why. In any case, an Eagle is a bird of prey, its biggest advantageous is flight unfortunately for that Eagle as soon as it would swoop down the wildcat would grab it as they are a quick breed of cat, at that point it’s game over Eagle.
Winner: Wildcat
Round one in this bracket is in the books, what’s next for tomorrow’s battles?
Christian Academy of Louisville Centurion vs. Kentucky Country Day Bearcat
Louisville Collegiate School Titan vs. Northside Christian School Gator
So, for those matchups and more check back with this exciting action, continuing tomorrow.
Images courtesy of crhscougarstars.org, caschools.us, flickr, and Amazon
