What a glorious weekend for football, etc.

For southern Ohio, weekends do not come much better than the most recent Friday-Sunday.

Weather-wise, the three-day weekend brought sunny skies and temperatures from the upper 50s to near 80 degrees.

Events-wise, the weekend brought great local crowds for Friday night football, a record turnout “on a gorgeous Saturday morning for the Southern Ohio Pregnancy Center’s annual Walk for Life” (thanks, Steve Roush), and three days of excitement at the 2014 Rocky Fork Thunder hydroplane races at the lake’s east side.

In spite of an earlier forecast of a rainy Sunday, that didn’t happen; and the Lord’s Day turned out to be as pleasant as apple pie on Thanksgiving.

My own Friday started with a few Highland County Press deliveries at 4 a.m., followed by my weekly drive to J.R.’s General Store and the Country Crust Bakery on Route 41 just south of Bainbridge off U.S. 50 east. On good days, when I time things just right, I can have coffee and the world’s best glazed doughnuts for breakfast at the Country Crust Bakery.

At last week’s Hillsboro Indians’ football game, Galen Neal and I talked about the bakery and general store. Galen suggested I try the apple fritters. On Sept. 19, I took Galen’s advice and changed my usual order.

This time I switched my usual order of fried pies, glazed doughnuts and soft pretzels, to an apple fritter, a fried pie, a glazed doughnut and a soft pretzel. (Why mess with a good thing?)

Galen was right. The apple fritter was good. Real good.

• On Friday evening, Colin and I walked the south sidelines during the Hillsboro Indians vs. Wilmington Hurricane football game.

As HHS Coach Matt Hodge acknowledged after the game, Wilmington is a pretty good football team.

Despite the outcome, Hillsboro never quit. In situations of adversity, coaches – and fans – do appreciate the effort. The Indians did not lack for effort. Simply put, Wilmington was a better team on this night.

• Prior to the game and during halftime, I had the good fortune of meeting with several friends. One of them was Jamie Burton, whose son is a member of the Hillsboro High School marching band. As I write this, it is difficult to comprehend that Jamie is old enough to have a child in high school.

We talked about that on Friday evening. Jamie seemed happy to remind me that my children have all graduated from college. That really made me feel old. (And happy.)

Jamie Burton is one of the truly great people in Highland County. I am proud to have known him for 25 years and I am proud to call him a friend. He has been very successful in life and he has earned it. Jamie and Terra are among the best in our community.

• It also was good to talk with Mike Morgan just prior to kickoff. Mike and I were teammates in the 1970s and we also played against one another.

I still recall three very good left-handed pitchers at the Hillsboro ballpark that I could rarely hit: Mike Morgan, Bryan Burns and Don Webster. If those guys ever played for the same team in the same year, you could go ahead and present the championship trophy.

Ironically, Mike’s son, Michael, and my daughter, Caitlin, had met earlier in the week for a story about M&M Swap Shop on West Main Street in Hillsboro. Michael also is a former student of my brother-in-law, Chris Fuller.

After talking with Mike, and as a business owner, I can understand the obstacles (mostly political) that this young entrepreneur has had to overcome. Hillsboro residents should support their business and be proud that they have helped to renovate the uptown area and add to the local tax collections.

• During halftime Friday, I shook hands with another longtime friend in Scott Cumberland. I was closer to Scott’s older brother, Tyrone, but Scott and I have known each other and played basketball together since the early 1990s. I also spoke with Mark Cumberland, whose dad, Jim, was one of my first coaches.

Scott and his son, Jarron Cumberland, were traveling to Purdue University this weekend.

Jarron, who stars for Wilmington High School, is being recruited by many colleges. He is listed on the national Basketball Recruiting Class of 2016 Watch List.

Jarron’s dad and uncles were very talented athletes at Hillsboro. From what I am hearing, Jarron may be better than all of them.

Jarron’s cousin, Jaevin Cumberland, is another Wilmington High School standout. Jaevin’s dad, Dwayne “Chad” Cumberland was a great Hillsboro High School point guard himself, but he’ll probably be the first to tell you that Jaevin is better.

The Cumberland family is rightfully proud of the accomplishments of Jarron and Jaevin. While I have met Jarron, I can’t say that I am familiar with the younger generation. They are young and I am no longer young. And I don’t need my kids reminding me of this reality.

“Both Jaevin and Jarron have accomplished a lot,” Mark Cumberland told The Highland County Press. “The family is very proud of their accomplishments.”

Mark Cumberland said Jarron is considering possible college scholarships from Purdue, West Virginia, Iowa State and others. Jaevin has been contacted by West Point, NKU, Kent State, Morehead and other colleges.

“This generation is better than we were,” Mark said. “You remember that Scotty was a man among boys when he played, but Scott will tell you that Jarron’s been better than he was since he was in the sixth grade.”

That’s saying a lot. If you’ve ever been among the 10 on the floor when Scott Cumberland played, you would understand. 

On Dec. 16, 2014, the Wilmington Hurricane will travel to Hillsboro High School. The game will be a sellout, no question.

Maybe they can play this one at the SSCC Patriot Center? They really should, with two potential Division I players from Hillsboro families on the floor.

Jim Smith and Kevin Boys need to talk.

Rory Ryan is publisher and owner of The Highland County Press.