It’s not often that I get fooled by the outcome of a Webster City sporting event. When you watch one game after another for 17 years straight, you tend to get a pretty good fix on what may or may not happen.

But every once in a while there’s an outlier – a contest that goes off-script and, regardless of the outcome, amplifies the reasons why so many of us love sports.

The old saying it true – anything can happen.

The WCHS football team has given me two of these instances in the past two seasons. The first came last fall when the Lynx unleashed the fury on Ballard in the opening round of the state playoffs. The second happened in front of a raucous Lynx crowd Monday in an old-fashioned beat down of Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley in the second round of the Class 3A state playoffs.

I didn’t expect fourth-ranked WCHS to lose to the Nighthawks, but I would be lying if I said I didn’t have doubts. BHRV had an impressive resume and enough size and speed to scare the bejesus out of any opposing coaching staff. I expected a lot of nail-biting and an outcome that wasn’t decided until late in the fourth quarter.

38-6.

Goes to show you what I know.

As the human battering ram Gavin Dinsdale blew through the BHRV defense for a 72-yard touchdown run, on his 31st carry of the game no less, with 6:25 remaining to increase the Lynx lead to the final 32-point margin, one thing became crystal clear – I was witnessing history.

This is my 17th season covering WCHS football. I’ve reported on the good, the bad and the ugly, and everything else that fits somewhere in the cracks. The 155th and most recent Lynx game that I’ve covered (yes, I went back and counted … twice for accuracy) is the best I have ever seen the program look.

Please don’t take that as a comparative slight to former players, coaches and teams that did plenty to bring esteem to the program. I want no part of a “which Lynx team is better?” debate. It’s an impossibility to find a correct answer and, truthfully, nothing more than a waste of time.

But I can’t deny what this team accomplished with its season on the line. The offense – flawless. The defense – punishing. WCHS even kicked a field goal – a field goal! If you can remember the last time that happened, well, you’ve got me beat. (Note: It predates the Bob Howard era.)

Head coach Bob Howard’s game plan was masterful, and the execution by the players was nothing short of extraordinary. An undefeated record where expectations are so lofty can sometimes have a negative effect, but the Lynx continue to ignore the outside noise and just play football.

I applaud it all. And if anyone still wants to know if WCHS is really that good, I’ll give you the answer.

Heck yes.

This isn’t a team built on intimidating size, although it has some of that. Dinsdale is an all-state tailback, he just is, and anybody that watched him Monday night and still disagrees knows nothing about football. Victor Jergens, Cooper Lawson, Dalton Draeger, Ashton High and Zac Lucero have formed an offensive line that isn’t afraid of anybody and they continue to get better.

This isn’t a team built on speed, but it’s not slow by any means. You try catching wingback Payton Kannuan in the open field or chasing after Alec Fuhs as he streaks down the field on a pass route. Spinback Avery Fuhs is sneaky fast, and tough as nails to boot. Cornerback Landon Daniels won’t win many track gold medals (none, actually, since he plays soccer), but his smarts and his technique have turned him into one of the state’s premier cover corners.

WCHS is blue collar to the bone. The Lynx hit and hit and hit some more. They run the ball and dare an opponent to stop it. They make running teams turn to the passing game pretty quickly.

They believe, in themselves and each other. And that’s a team you automatically have to root for.

If you haven’t yet jumped aboard the Lynx train, there’s still time. They’ll head west on Friday to face No. 8-ranked Sergeant Bluff-Luton in a 7 p.m. quarterfinal that will send one team to the semifinals in the UNI-Dome. Yes, it’s a long drive, but I’d travel twice as far to watch this team play the game the right way.

What will my 156th Lynx game look like? I’m going to shove my crystal ball aside for this one and simply take it all in. This program has been around for 120 years and has never had an 11-0 team until now.

Translation: enjoy it, don’t over analyze it. Teams and seasons like this don’t come around too often.