By Sue Kiesewetter
Enquirer contributor

DEERFIELD TWP. - Five-year-old Cullan Karabinus hasn't missed a Kings High School football game this season.

And he's never missed a trick-or-treat night as far back as he can recall.

So the son of John Karabinus, offensive coordinator for Kings High, has an important question for his dad as he prepares for Friday night's playoff game against Wilmington.

"When do I get to go trick or treating?"

That question is being asked in eight Southwest Ohio communities this year because the football playoffs coincide with Halloween, putting football-fan families with young children in a tough spot. This marks the first time the playoffs have occurred on Halloween night since 1999.

Most communities have set Beggar's Night hours from 6 to 8 p.m., making it difficult to go trick or treating and still get to 7:30 p.m. playoff games in time to get a good seat.

"I guess I'm going to be driving miles and miles today looking for a community that has trick or treating,'' Karabinus said. "Cullan is dressing up as a firefighter. He also keeps asking me who's going to give out the candy at our house? I haven't figured that one out yet.''

Assured that he wouldn't miss trick or treat, Cullan is ready for the game.

"I'm going to cheer on Daddy,'' said the Kings Mills Elementary School kindergartner.

In Mount Healthy, athletic director Tina Tuck said ticket sales for the school's Halloween playoff game against Jackson High School, near Athens, are slow compared to the past two years.

"I'm not sure if it's Halloween or the distance. We have a three-hour drive ahead of us,'' Tuck said. "I'm sure it's a combination.''

When it looked as if the playoff game might be played at home, Tuck said, plans were readied for a Halloween party complete with caramel apples and balloons. When the school learned the game would be at Jackson, the celebration was moved to last week's game against Amelia High School.

In Wyoming, students who don't make the drive to St. Mary's Memorial will proceed with the annual food drive by going door to door.

"Last year we collected more than 20 boxes of food for Su Casa (an arm of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati that provides social services to Hispanic immigrant families). "We're still going to do it but we feel the game will impact our collections,'' said Mary Killen, Wyoming's public information officer. "There won't be as many kids going door to door or as many families at home (to contribute).''

At Kings, elementary age kids who come to the playoff game in costume will receive a treat.

But that's not incentive enough for 10-year-old Tommy Schnee, who is dressing as a wrestler. He's opted to go trick or treating with a friend and miss the first half of the game - a tough decision for the fourth-grader whose dad, Steve, is an assistant coach at Kings. Brother Matt, 14, keeps stats; and brother, Ben, 17, is a safety on the team.

"It's important to go to the game because I want to support my brother," said Tommy. "It's important to go trick or treating because it only comes once a year.''

E-mail suek@infionline.net