Frommer: It's IHSAA sectional championship weekend and no South Bend teams are left; That is disappointing

SOUTH BEND — Football season trudges on this Friday with sectional championships throughout Indiana.

But not in South Bend. Here, football season is over.

That came to fruition with South Bend Saint Joseph's sectional semifinal loss to No. 3 NorthWood last Friday.

Saint Joe was the last city team still standing in the 50th annual Indiana High School Athletic Association football playoff tournament.

High school football news:4A sectional: Short-handed No. 3 NorthWood takes it to South Bend Saint Joseph

Now, there is nobody. No more Friday night lights for South Bend until next August.

Want to go to a football game Friday night?

How about the hour drive out to Hobart for New Prairie's Class 4A sectional championship against the Brickies. Or 35 minutes to see Northridge at NorthWood in Nappanee.

How about the 30-minute drive for Andrean at Bremen in a 2A sectional championship. Or the slightly closer Mishawaka at Concord 5A game.

The closest matchup for South Bend preps football fans to attend is Knox at Jimtown in 3A. Go Jimmies, right?

Nothing at TCU School Field, Father Bly Field, Jackson Field.

Other than maybe some offseason workouts to plan for next fall.

That is disappointing.

If there is one thing I have learned in my first year in South Bend is this city has athletic pride.

During that span two city teams, South Bend Washington girls basketball and South Bend Saint Joseph softball, won state championships.

Watching the community rally around those teams was awesome to follow.

Historically Adams, Clay, Washington, Riley and Saint Joe have combined for 35 state championships. Only two in football, the last being Saint Joe's in 1996.

Who should be named Player of the Week?Cast you vote on the top high school football performance from Friday night's playoffs

That streak will unfortunately continue another year.

Saint Joe's sectional-opening win over Plymouth was the group's lone postseason victory after they combined for an 11-34 record. Plymouth hadn't won a game all year.

"It's kind of frustrating to be honest because I expect for South Bend to make some great things happen," Riley head coach Darrick Lee said. "We are a little behind as far as a couple new coaches this year. Coach Darius is trying to turn things around over at Clay. Washington struggles with some injuries. I felt like we were one of those teams that definitely could have made it out (of sectional).

"It's definitely frustrating though, for us to have four high schools (in South Bend Community School Corporation) and literally all are done playing."

To be fair, some of it was matchup-based.

Which South Bend school had the best football team in the city this season?

Riley, which finished with a city-best 5-4 record, drew Northridge, last year's 4A state runners-up, in its sectional opener. Clay, which went winless for the second straight season, had to play Jimtown, which hasn't lost since Week 2.

Washington could have gave its opponent some troubles, if that opponent wasn't undefeated 4A, No. 3 NorthWood. And Adams' week off to prepare for one-loss Mishawaka didn't do enough to move the needle.

All losses, including Saint Joe's last Friday to the Panthers. And just like that it is basketball season in South Bend.

"We obviously would all like to be playing as long into the season as possible," Adams head coach Frank Karczewski said. "Unfortunately it just wasn't a great year for how we all finished."

There was a time where football season in South Bend lasted until at least Halloween, and sometimes deep into November.

Most recently, South Bend Saint Joseph made a sectional championship a year ago before falling to New Prairie. It also did it in 2018, 2017 and semistate in 2014.

Adams made two sectional championships in the past decade (2012, 2015). So did Washington those same years, and even made it down to Indianapolis in 2011 under Antwon Jones, the last local team to reach a football state championship.

Lee was part of those Washington teams that found postseason success. The feeling of having the entire city rally around a team is something he still cherishes and hopes one day his Riley players will get a chance to experience that, too.

It didn't happen in this first year, but the Wildcats looked the part of a program on the rise. Maybe Karczewski, a former Adams player who was also in his first year as a head coach, could get the Eagles headed in the same direction.

Saint Joe has a coach that knows how to get to semistate in Ben Downey. Maybe Washington and Clay can make some strides down the road.

When that day comes, South Bend will be ready to rock and roll with support.

"When teams go on deep runs it becomes one of those things where it is truly South Bend versus everybody," Lee said. "We haven't had that in a while.

"But we are definitely trying to make that happen again."

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: High school football: Sectional championship week, no South Bend teams