Alas, there is some rule by the state high school athletic association which evidently prohibits live telecasts of football games. So, unless you braved the chill along with approximately 20,000 other fans, you got to enjoy the buzz but missed out on the honey. Although I’m sure there will be a lot more fans, as the days go by, that claim they were one of the 20,000 attendees. By next year, that number will probably hit 50,000.

Any big game must have celebrities to make it complete – and Keyshawn Johnson, who spent much of the first half on the sidelines, drew a lot of looks. Partly because he’s a former number one NFL draft pick, partly because he plays wide receiver for the Panthers and partly because he had the guts to wear shorts on a night when temps were much closer to 32 degrees than 82 degrees.

The folks who were actually there witnessed something less than a classic. Independence, seemingly having learned their lesson well, jumped out to a 21-zip lead with a deft mix of hard running by Dequan Leak and the deep passing of Darryl McFadden. Butler, however, started to reprise the role of the Patriots – they stormed back with two touchdowns of their own, making it 21-14 with a couple of minutes left in the half.

Too much time, as it turned out, as Independence raced down the field to score with seconds remaining, taking a 28-14 lead and the Bulldog’s heart into the locker room. There would be no amazing comeback, no overtime drama and no fantastic finish.

The final was 49-23, and Independence had run their streak to 107 straight. A sign, unfurled along the stone façade, facing the Independence bench before the game, proved prophetic: “Remember, remember, the third of November, when Independence came back and made the Bulldogs surrender.”