This has been a special, maybe a little bit magical fall sports season for Salem High School.

For the first time ever - the playoff system began in 1980 - Salem qualified a team for the football playoffs. And let's admit it, few of us saw it coming.

The Quakers had lost all but two of their past 28 games entering his season. But under first year head coach Mike Kopachy, Salem has done four times better than that. The Quakers will carry an 8-2 record into their Div. III playoff game against Granville on Friday.

The biggest moment came two weeks ago when Salem rallied in the final moments to score a big win over a tough Lakeview team which thrust the Quakers into the playoff hunt. They secured a berth with an easy win over East Liverpool last Friday. And despite a near three hour drive south to this Friday's game site at Granville, the feeling here is that there will be more than a few fans following the Quaker Crazies and making the long drive down.

But before that comes a Thursday evening regional volleyball semi-final match at Stow featuring state-ranked Salem against Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit.

Head coach Don Conser isn't a stranger to success. His volleyball program is known throughout the state -you can compare it the John Cabas glory basketball days. It is at that kind of level. The Quakers won yet another district title and are two wins away from the state finals.

Salem is led by All-Ohioan Amy Scullion who is equally adept at basketball and will be playing that sport at The Ohio State University. She is the best girls athlete in SHS history and could be considered the best volleyball player ever to come out of Columbiana County. She is that good and even a better person. And she deserves all the recognition she gets. We wish her and her teammates the best of luck. We wish the football Quakers the best of luck and we certainly congratulate the cross-country and girls soccer squads who had a fair share of successes. The cross country team won a district championship. The soccer squad reached the district title match. Great jobs to all the participants, especially to all the seniors in the fall sports programs. Hard work, diligence and sportsmanship has its rewards.

A community pep rally is planned tonight at 7 p.m. in the high school auditorium. It will provide a proper sendoff to the volleyball and football players and coaching staffs. The best of luck to all of you and bring back wins. Regardless, you have already done your school and your city proud. Always carry that with you.