High schools in Wisconsin are all done for the year. Most had graduations and final exams over a week ago. So why are there still three state tournaments in high school sports still going on? This week the WIAA will run their state finals in baseball, softball and girls soccer. Summer is already compressed with the early start of sports like football and girls tennis in August. I understand that there are logistical problems with running numerous tournaments at the same time and weather plays a big factor in spring sports , but it seems to me that having these tournaments long after school is out and also playing meaningful football games  weeks before school starts sort of defeats the purpose. If you are a high school baseball player who's team goes deep in the playoffs and also a football player, your summer now consists of two months...and that's not even counting "summer contact"days for sports. Some football teams were running full pads practices last week. Kids are expected to be available for football, basketball, hockey, weightroom not to mention any summer sports they are involved in. And I havent even mentioned jobs, vacations, and the regular stuff teenagers do.  Now granted , as the coach of the Wausau American Legion Baseball team, I'm biased. I rarely have even close to a full roster of players, especially on weekends. Now  I will go into "old fart" mode and remember when each sport had its season and summer was for playing golf & baseball. the exceptional athletes who played three sports had time to recover and didnt get burned out. And for most of these kids...high school will be the pinnacle of their athletic career, and there is nothing wrong with that.  The time of the three sport athlete is pretty much over...not enough hours in the day...and thats too bad.

Stevens Point will begin State Baseball play on Tuesday against Oconomowoc. Pittsville and Greenwood begin D-4 play on Wednesday.

Spash is also in the girls softball State Tournament. They take on Germantown on Thursday. Stevens Point Pacelli also made state in D-3. They play Grantsburg on Friday. Tigerton will face Thorp on Friday in D-4.

Woodchucks baseball tonight as the Chucks take on Madison. Former Wausau West and Wausau Legion standout Seth McMullen is currently playing shortstop for Madison. A number of area guys are on temp contracts with the league including Merrill's Zach Wendorf and Pascal Paul with the Chucks. I'll be in the booth with Jim Sannes for tonight's game on Foxsports1390.

The Wausau Legion Bulldogs had only 9 players available on Sunday as they went to Marinette and swept a doubleheader 6-1, & 3-2. Good pitching and defense were the story of the day. Scott Kieper, Walt Grau and Brad Knoblock combined to give up just three hits in the two games and the Bulldogs flashed the leather all over the field.

Wausau Post 10 returns to action Wednesday hosting RSW at Athletic Park at 7pm.

Songs of The Day   (from my I-pod)

Jazzman-Carole King (1974) A huge hit that featured Tom Scott who was red-hot at the time. This live version is top-notch too. Lyrics for this tune were written by David Palmer one of the original vocalists for Steely Dan

Jealous Guy-John Lennon (1971) a classic Lennon vocal from the Imagine album. Roxy Music had a hit with this one too.