This past weekend's football games were played in frigid weather. There was snow on the ground at several games and at some, like Wilde Lake, there was a nonstop gale-like wind and snow bursts that might have made the crowd -- those hardy fans who sat like blocks of ice on metal bleachers -- think it had momentarily been transported to the North Pole.

It made sense that everyone not playing in the football game was bundled up with multiple layers of clothing. But there was one, let us say deviant, on the sidelines.

That would be Wilde Lake coach Doug Duvall.

At first glance Duvall looked normal enough. He had on a heavy parka with hood pulled tight at the neck. But if you saw him from a distance, and let your eyes travel down to his legs, well, Duvall was wearing shorts.

What was he thinking?

"In 1985 we played Glenelg and we lost," Duvall said. "That was a cold night and I had long pants on. It was my fault we lost. I made a couple bad decisions. It was a loss that could have kept us out of the postseason. And I told my kids after that game, if they won the next game I'd never wear long pants to a game again.

"We won the next game and went to the playoffs."

It would turn out to be Duvall's and Wilde Lake's first state championship season.

"I'm cold," said Duvall, whose teams now have five state championships and are in the state semifinals for the eighth time. "But I can never wear long pants at a game again."

-- Sandra McKee