Daily Dirt: The Rotund Stuffer has spoken — enjoy these culinary classics at a high school stadium near you

The Rotund Stuffer had a fabulous weekend, thanks to taking in a couple of high school football playoff games in Missouri and Illinois, respectively. Today’s three thoughts were spurred by that experience. Welcome to Vol. 121 of the Daily Dirt.

1. The local high school football season is waning, so it’s time for the inaugural Daily Dirt awards for above-average cuisine — and more — at prep outposts on both sides of the Mississippi River. It should be noted the following “awards” are only for the facilities I have visited over the first 11 weeks of the season:

• Best overall menu: Central High School, where the concession stand puts many local restaurants to shame. On a scale of 1 to 10, Central deserves a 15. 
• Best hamburgers: Quincy. Most burgers are simply cooked. Those at Flinn Stadium are “prepared”.
• Best hot dogs: Comparing the hot dog at Highland to your average run-of-the-mill wiener would be a culinary crime. 
• Best pizza: Highland gets this award, too. And there is not a close second.
• Best playing field, natural surface: Brown County. It’s simply a work of art, from an exquisite form of manicuring to the detailed numbers, hash marks and logos that are painted on the field.
• Best playing field, artificial surface: Highland, where the new field punctuates what might be the perfect complex.
• Best overall restroom/concession area: Quincy Notre Dame, which continues to make its overall athletic complex the envy of most in the region.
• Best scoreboard: Brown County. It’s big and easy to read.
• Best spectator seating: Quincy’s Flinn Stadium, and just like the pizza at Highland, there is not a close second.
• Best overall game experience: Brown County, where game day is truly an event. From the motorcycles just outside end zone fence at the north end (“It’s time to fire up those Hogs!!” we are repeatedly told after a Hornet score) to those green-and-white flags that are seen everywhere, going to a Brown County game feels much like attending the county fair.

2. Those who follow high school football in West-Central Illinois and Northeast Missouri know that Highland has — to put it mildly — struggled over the years. That’s why its two postseason wins this year are so rewarding to the good people of Lewis County. Consider the following if you are tempted to say we’re making too much of a deal out of Highland’s back-to-back playoff victories and current 8-3 record:

• Since 1973, Highland has enjoyed six winning seasons. This year’s winning record is its first since 1990 and represents a school record for most victories in a season.
• Since 1973, Highland’s composite record is 136-341-1, by far the worst of any high school in the Muddy River News coverage area.
• A whopping 18 of those 49 seasons since 1973 have produced two victories or less, including three winless years.– Since 2000, Highland teams have posted eight 1-9 finishes and one 0-10 record.
• Highland’s all-time winningest coach is Doug Wilson, who posted a 54-107 record. Wilson has four of the school’s six winning seasons on his resume.
• Current coach Dave Degarmo is the second-winningest coach in Highland history, showing a 16-33 record.

3. My top five items on the Arby’s menu:

• 1. The basic Arby’s roast beef sandwich. It’s tough to beat.
• 2. Jamocha shake. Might be the No. 1 shake on the market.
• 3. Apple turnover. Just the right amount of icing.
• 4. Roast turkey and bacon sandwich. Very underrated.
• 5. Crinkle fries. Much better than the seasoned curly fries.

Steve Fact O’ the Day

Rarely has Steve ever met an apple turnover he did not like — or consume.

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. Have stomach, will travel.