The sounds of this season - Playoffs

There are essentially four seasons in one. Just like there are four seasons in a year, there are four seasons in a sport: offseason, preseason, regular season and postseason. The last is the most critical and, this week, the most prominent.

For high school sports there is no recruiting or free agents or trades. There are just offseason workouts and conditioning to prepare the players they have for a season. Everyone looks to the postseason. Once a team gets there, anything can happen.

However, the postseason is bittersweet -- dreams have a chance at fulfillment, but hearts are always broken. To be the one team left standing when all is said and done is halfway impossible.

It's a cliche, but simple: Win or go home. This is why teams spend their summers in the weight room in prepration for the only season: postseason.

Did I say college hoops was the best time of the year? One word -- playoffs.

Tuesday

Let's get started, because after today it's going to be a busy week. Central hosts Saint Louis U-High in a Class 3 sectional soccer game at Houck Stadium at 7 p.m. Notre Dame will play in the Class 2 sectional game at the Anheiser-Busch Centre in St. Louis against Rosary at 7 p.m.

Wednesday

More sectional playoffs, this time in football. I wanted North County vs. Central, Part IV, but Windsor will do fine. Central at Windsor, 7 p.m.

Friday

Preseason is a season, too. Southeast begins its preparation for a long run in March -- we hope. They don't call it the Show Me Center for nothing, B.J. The women's basketball team hosts SIU-Edwardsville at 5:30 p.m. Then it's the other half of a doubleheader. The Dreambuilders are in town again and Southeast looks to build on its goal of finishing better than 6-22. The men host at 7:30 p.m.

The Grizzlies host the most overpaid player in the NBA and his Timberwolves teammates. Kevin Garnett is good enough to beat the Grizz by himself. Then again, who isn't? Tipoff is 7 p.m.

Saturday

The final game of the Southeast football season comes against the team about to join the Ohio Valley Conference: Samford. The Indians should cap off a good season the right way with a win. Southeast hosts at 6 p.m.

Sunday

No playoffs or seasons involved here. The 5K Turkey Trot will be at 1 p.m, so if you're up for an early start on gobbler season head to downtown Cape Girardeau with bows and running shorts.

David Wilson is a junior at Central High School and a sports writer for the Southeast Missourian.