When I was growing up, my favorite Hawkeye wore jersey number 10. It is a number that stuck with me through most of my adolescent and scholastic years. Then, I started to like the number 3 a bit more. Probably because it was the amount of points I wanted to make on every shot I took in basketball. Or, the number or strokes I like to get on any given hole at the golf course. More than likely, it stems from the jersey I wore while playing college baseball. No matter how you look at it, I have been a numbers guy for the majority of my life in one way, shape, or form. Big shocker, right? More reasons as to what should have given me a clue that I like numbers: ** Time test day in third and fourth grade math was always my favorite thing. ** On the ACT, I scored a 29 (36 is perfect) on the mathematics portion (only bested by the 32 I scored in English) ** When my family would travel to Missouri to see my grandparents, I could always remember the population of every town we passed through once driving on US Highway 136. (Yes, Dad, I remember that Stanberry's population at that time was 1,387.) I am sure there are many people who have similar numerical stories. But, when I really think about it, West Branch Football - and the numbers that go along with it - have always played a big part in my life...and it's enjoyment. I am going to play name and number association, WBFB (West Branch FootBall) style. * Favorite Bear player to have worn the number 3: JD Grimm, you win. A state championship QB usually takes the prize. * Favorite Bear player who wore jersey number 85: Jon Miller, aka my older brother, wore this jersey as a junior wide receiver in 1987. He will always be my favorite Bear player. * Most memorable game involving the number 20: pretty tough to top a 20-14 win in the 1989 Class 1A state title game - the first of its kind in West Branch. Also, look to the 1986 season and a game against Mt. Vernon. The Bears beat the Mustangs in Mt Vernon, and that snapped a 20-game losing streak to their old EIHC foe. It is weird how the tide has turned for the two schools since that day. * Best run I have ever seen over 50 yards: Braddock, Braddock, Braddock. 1991 state championship game, Kevin Braddock 91 yard touchdown run. I still get chills and teary eyed when I hear Wayne Laing's call on the game film. The 64 yard run he had in the same game was pretty sweet, too. Brad Bartelt had a few runs of 50+ that would make you just say, "wow. That kid is fast." If he ever got the pitch on the veer 44, 47, or 48, it was usually lights out down the east sidelines at Oliphant Street field. * Significance of the number 12 on West Branch football history: As far as on the field, there has been very little significance since the early 1990's. But, Marv Cook sure has his place in Bear history. He is the only player to have graduated from WBHS to have his number retired. It is also the jersey number of the aforementioned Braddock, he of the 5 TD/311 yard state championship game record performance. It could also be said that two of the more important games in WB championship seasons involved that number (1989: a 12-3 victory in snow and sleet over Montezuma kept the Bears in the hunt. 1992: an OT victory against Aplington-Parkersburg in the semifinals) * 62: the amount of regular victories the Bears amassed from 1990 to 1996. * 303: yards. As in the most passing yards in school history, Aaron Vincent, 1996 vs. Mt V * 93: Longest KO return in school history in yardage, Cole Kelly 2009. * 22: consecutive district wins for WBFB through October 22, 2010. It also the total number of games WBFB has played in 'The Dome'. * 0: the number of times, that I can recall, the Bears have ever played the Wapsie Valley Warriors. So, it also the number of times Wapsie Valley has ever beaten the Bears in football. I could go on and on, of course. But I am going to have to make a point. And, here it is: it is funny how numbers seem to leave an indelible mark on West Branch Football and in my life. Those numbers I talked about earlier, 3 and 10, what is their mark, and where does the 2010 team find success in both. Well, the easy one is three. * 3 State championships (that the IAHSAA acknowledges) * 3 is the amount of field goals made by Brandon Young * 3 is also the amount TD passes he has had in a game. * 3 is the number of games the Bears, beginning Monday, to play for a fourth state championship. * 3 is the number of players who have eclipsed the 100 yards in a game this year: Young, Travis Maher, and Cade Jones. * 3 is the number of home games WBFB has lost since the 2000 season. Pretty impressive 10 is not as easy, but let's give it a shot. * the amount of yards I hope every play goes for every time the Bears are on offense. * 10 is the amount of seasons that WBFB has won at least 10 games. I may be able to come up with different numbers that have more connection to the 2010 WBFB team than the number 10 does. But, let's talk reality and hope. The reality is, as a WBFB fan, I hope we win our game on Monday night. A game that means so much to the 15 senior players. It means so much to a great deal of the 2,342 current residents of West Branch. The three state titles for the WBFB program were 21, 19, and 18 years ago. Very few of the current Bears were even newborn babies at the time of that last one. In fact, only three. There is that number again; it keeps coming up. But, guess which number victory on the 2010 season it would be for the Bears if they won? 10. I knew there was a reason I liked that number.