One thing that I remember about playing high school sports was the coaches always harping on hydration. Especially in the warm months.

Did I ever really listen? Nope, I’d save my water intake for game time.

This past week watching high school football opened my eyes, though. I must have just gotten off lucky all those years. I covered two football games this past week and I have never seen cramping like I had seen in those two contests.

First was Johnston taking on North Providence. From start to finish, especially in the second half, Panthers and Cougars were dropping left and right. The first concern was leg injuries. The first one or two times, the crowd held its breath as we wondered if those players lying on the ground writhing in pain were injured. After a few quick seconds, though, it was clear that they were dealing with cramps.

I wish I had tallied the number of players that went down because it was astonishing by game’s end what that number must have been. I never have tracked the number of cramps in a game, but this was unlike anything I had ever seen before. There had to have been at least 10 kids combined that had to be helped off the field with leg cramps.

Then the next game was when Pilgrim hosted Woonsocket. Not quite as severe as the aforementioned game, but still, a handful of players on both squads hit the deck and had to be walked off the field then stretched by the trainer. Considering the temps were in the 70s and 60s, my mind was blown. What on earth was happening?

So, after years and years of believing that hydration, although important, was a bit overblown when it comes to being prepared to play a 60-minute game, I am officially on board with coaches drilling it into their players’ heads. I guess, in reality, poor hydration really can drag a team down.

Pilgrim went on to pull off an early season upset over the Villa Novans, but the Panthers were not quite as fortunate as their second-half rally came up short and they fell to North Providence.

After the game was over, Johnston coach Joe Acciardo even mentioned that the severe cramping delivered a blow to the team’s depth chart. Let me tell you, readers, that his point was totally justified. He had several kids on each side of the ball miss action due to cramps. It’s a tough pill to swallow as he and his staff warned his team and pleaded to take care of themselves. Sometimes, you can lead high school football players to water, but you can’t make them drink.

To the players, for the sake of yourselves, your coaches and your team, please hydrate before, during and after games.

On a more positive note, Cranston West and Pilgrim really made statements this past weekend in their games. The Falcons held off a North Kingstown rally to beat the DI juggernaut while Pilgrim defended its home field by edging Woonsocket.

West set the bar exceptionally high this season with so many returning pieces. The Falcons truly view themselves as DI contenders in the new alignment. Well, they proved themselves right by taking out last year’s state runner up NK on the road.

Kelan Cornell was electric on the feet and proved to be one of the state’s best quarterbacks. We all expected him to be in the conversation by year’s end, but after week 1, he may already be in the top spot. The West defense also came up with some stops late in the game, halting what is typically an elite offense. West looks like it’s the real deal and won’t need the whole fall to prove it.

Pilgrim is an interesting group after graduating its four top receivers and its starting quarterback from last year’s team. Although Carter Clifton got playing time under center as a sophomore, he’s back after missing last year with a knee injury with a new group of playmakers around him.

Sure, it’s a small sample size, but he and his support looked to be for real against Woonsocket, who was a perennial Division II contender while Pilgrim competed in DIII.

For the Pats to get that win and to dominate for much of it, they made a statement that they are very much a contender in Division III. Clifton looks ready for an all-division season by the looks of it.

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