Homecoming Game

Rio Mesa's 2009 Homecoming Game.

For our readers back in Sicily and now Sweden, America has a tradition during the football season of picking one home game to designate as the Homecoming Game. During this weekend, alumni are invited to return to their Alma Maters to visit the school's new facilities, rekindle old friendships, see halftime fireworks, attend the Homecoming Dance Saturday night and, of course, determine how this year's Varsity football team measures up to the teams of the storied past, a.k.a., "The Glory Years".

The evening started off with the Junior Varsity game and the young Spartans improved to 6-0 on the season and 1-0 in the Pacific View League with a 56-0 shellacking of an undermanned Hueneme squad.

Tough Varsity Opponent

Hueneme's Vasrsity team, in red and white, was a surprising 4-1 entering this Pacific View League opener. They were also ranked #8 in this week's C.I.F. Northern Division poll.

The Spartan's, at 3-2, were unranked coming into the game but were hungry for redemption in their first league contest.

The stands were packed on an unuasually warm mid-October evening as the Spartans exploded to a quick lead thanks to running back Jamaal Perkins who had scoring runs of 90 and 47 yards on his first two carries of the ball game! After only 4 minutes and 7 seconds of First Quarter action the score was 20-7 Rio Mesa as both offenses exploded and Rio Mesa recovered a Viking fumble in the end zone. . . WILD!

At halftime with my Daughter-in-Law Vanessa who is wearing her husband's old #5 Spartan game jersey

I volunteered to work the chains for the Varsity game after being the announcer for the J.V. game. I enjoy watching and listening to other coaching staffs as they deal with the ebb and flow of a game. The Hueneme coaches remained very positive and professional in their approach to their players even though things didn't go as they planned.

At halftime, it was time to introduce the Homecoming Court which includes a King and Queen, each class's Prince and Princess and a Faculty Duke and Duchess. They get to do a vistory lap in a vintage car as they are introduced to the crowd.

For example. . .

A Porsche,

a Corvette and

a long-finned Cadillac

You HAVE to have a Balloon Arch. . .

. . . and Fireworks are a MUST as well!

Things settled down in the second half and the Spartan's were able to cruise to a 40-7 win as the offense accounted for 430 yards. The defense contributed a fabulous goal line stand after facing a first and goal at the one foot line!

The Varsity Spartans are now 4-2 on the year and 1-0 in PVL action.

All and all, a great Homecoming night in El Rio, California!