Football offers distraction from election

In january!

As the country awaits the results of the election -- life still goes on elsewhere -- and that includes friday night football.

The first night of playoffs wrapped up in the past hour.

Waay 31's will robinson-smith is live at austin high school where the black bears are squaring off against oak mountain.

He learned how people are feeling about the games tonight amid the election.

Will?

Well if turnout here as well as at east lawrence high school is any indication -- folks were ready for some football tonight and an escape from the politics of the week.

The stands at both arenas were pretty full -- even amid the ongoing pandemic.

Both local teams facing tough opponents tonight.

I spoke with east limestone's head coach bo culver before kickoff tonight.

He hoped that not only would people turn out tonight to take a break from divisive politics -- but that the country could take a lesson from those who were lacing up tonight.

Bottom line is our world's got to love each other more, our country's got to love each other more.

Those kids love each other.

If our world and our country could love each other the way that most locker room football kids do, we'd be in a lot better place.

Culver noted that his team's locker room is culturally and racially diverse and they all treat each other with respect and compassion.

Of course -- we'll have more on how both east limestone and austin high schools performed tonight later on in sports.

Reporting live in decatur -- will robinson-smith -- waay 31 news.