There's a saying in life that it's not how hard you punch - it's how hard of a punch you can take and keep moving forward.

I have always believed in that saying.

I think that stands true for the Lake Zurich boys soccer team this season. After getting off to a slow start in the Barrington Tournament, the Bears are now within two games of capturing the Class 3A title.

The final weekend of the season is now upon us, and it's the easiest weekend of the year to do rankings.

All games are done for most teams, records are final and you know who goes where. If Lyons and Lake Zurich play one another this weekend, that would be the only game to make a difference in the final rankings. The Lions beat the Bears 1-0 in the Pepsi Showdown quarterfinals earlier this year. Lake Zurich began the season No. 2 and Lyons was No. 5 I believe.

Neuqua Valley, which finished the season with just one loss, is this year's No. 1. Lyons handed the Wildcats their lone defeat on Tuesday, but Neuqua Valley won the season series 2-1.

As someone pointed out to me on Wednesday, it was nice to see two Pepsi Showdown teams in the Class 1A title game. St. Viator is in Class 2A, and Class 3A features three teams from the Pepsi Showdown.

So who should it be?

When the girl and I were at Wembley Stadium last month to watch the England National Team play its final World Cup qualifier, I thought about this again - does the IHSA really need three classes or is it just for extra revenue?

Prior to last Friday, if I was asked this question I would've said no...only two classes are needed. But after watching Friday's Class 1A semifinals between four private schools, which were competitive and the best Class 1A semifinals in recent years, I can see where three classes make sense.

When you look at it, Class 1A is giving most teams, who never have a shot to win the IHSA tournament, a chance to extend their seasons. In Class 2A and 3A, you are still getting good teams (not the best teams) to the quarters and semifinals - just as if this was the old Class A and AA.

So should there be three classes? I don't know.

St. Viator (2A) coach Mike Taylor thinks there should be two classes.

Gibault (1A) coach Jim Corsi thinks there should be one class.

What do you think?

A couple thoughts on this first Monday of November....

Did the IHSA put Providence in a competitive disadvantage on Saturday?

Let's think about this - the IHSA is supposed to be about the students and for the students. I mean, really, at the end of the day, your tax dollars pay the bright people at Pee-Wee's Playhouse to make these great decisions.

So again, Providence is placed in a sectional 245 miles away - a short four-hour drive. Sorry, I just type that, laugh and say, did someone seriously get away with approving this decision? And these people are in charge of things?

Cancer.

Just seeing the word scares me.

And as much as Providence coach Dan Potempa was fired up with IHSA assistant executive director Beth Sauser for sending his team more than 400 miles to compete in a geographic-based tournament, odds are his range of emotions were a bit different when he learned he had testicular cancer.

"It has spread to my lymph nodes in my abdomen, but that's all," Potempa said. "My lungs are clear. On Wednesday morning, my doctor put the decision in my hands on whether to do chemo or radiation. I'm a borderline patient. I've got an appointment next Thursday at Indiana University to meet with Lance Armstrong's doctors for a second opinion and consultation."

Potempa has tried to keep this quiet, wanting to keep the focus on his team. But this week, he was caught between a rock and a hard place mainly because of the IHSA's blunder.

While others doubted, I really did believe from the start there was no way they would play at Hinsdale Central on Saturday.

And they won't.

Hinsdale Central will battle Lyons part of a doubleheader at Naperville North.

Hinsdale Central vs. Lyons, 10 a.m.
Neuqua Valley vs. Wheaton-Warrenville South,12 p.m.

It was the right call, and everyone involved deserves all the credit.

With the onslaught of rain, there's no doubt in my mind the game between Hinsdale Central and Lyons will be moved from the Hinsdale Central soccer complex.

But if it isn't, then I'm looking right at head official Michael Moore to say the field is unplayable. I drove by it again this morning, and there's no doubt the game needs to be moved. Moore and I talk throughout each season about different topics. He's a great guy, and he gets it.

Moore was the linesman for Tuesday's and Wednesday's mud-pit sectional semifinals.

As I spoke with Naperville Central coach Jay Konrad and others on Thursday, I believe the game should be moved to Naperville North to be played part of a doubleheader with Neuqua Valley and Wheaton-Warrenville South.

It's a Saturday and fans will travel - even students.

With the Class A finals in Naperville, why not have a great doubleheader during the day right down the street to promote high school soccer?

There's a point of home field advantage, and then there comes a point of common sense. I'm curious to see if people involved with the Class 3A Hinsdale Central Sectional have common sense.

I'm betting they do, because I already know they do.

From Hinsdale Central coach Mike Wiggins - Mr. Soccer in the Chicago area - a very bright athletic department and smart soccer community to the great IHSA, someone better step up.

I took a poll of 10 coaches on Wednesday night after watching the slip and slide mud pit battle between Fenwick and Lyons. Every coach - some who played at Hinsdale Central recently - all agreed the no-brainer and right thing to do is change the site of Saturday's game.

That's why I know there is no way Hinsdale Central will host Saturday's final between Hinsdale Central and Lyons.