Football Weekend

It would be a long and enjoyable two days of American football. Let's start at Friday night's beginning . . .

C.I.F. Northern Division Playoffs

Opening Round

Righetti Warriors (4-6)

Fourth Place PAC-5 League

Wild Card Team

at

Newbury Park Panthers (8-2)

Camino League Champions

#2 Playoff Seed

The Panthers played up to their #2 Seed billing in racing out to a 35-14 halftime lead. Most of the fourth quarter was played with a running clock due to the 35 point Mercy Rule.

The final score saw the Panthers moving on to the quarter-finals by a 56-28 margin. Newbury Park rolled up 641 yards of Total Offense (288 rushing and 353 passing) on only 56 plays.

JVs on Varsity

Fifteen members of our Camino League Champion JV squad were called up to the Varsity for N.P.'s playoff run. Most of them got into the game tonight with Kicker Dario Longhetto converting all eight of his PAT attempts and RBs Kalani Sanchez and Nicolas Cellona combining for 6 carries for 40 yards.

They look pretty happy in this post-game photo.

Up next for the now 9-2 Panthers is another home game next Friday, the playoff quarter-finals against the 7-4 St. Joseph Knights, the second place team from the Los Padres League. 

Saturday Day/Night

American Football Double Header

 The Home of the Kingsmen

La Verne University

Leopards

2-6, 1-5 SCIAC

at

California Lutheran University

Kingsmen

3-5, 3-3 SCIAC

I love DIII football!

At CLU, the parking on game days is free as is the price of admission to the game. Their wonderful new football stadium has no track so all of the seats are up close and personal to the action.

On the way to the stadium, one passes by several forms of outdoor art on campus.

Interesting Detour

Lex Luthor

Or maybe Martin Luther, I'm not clear on this one.

Kids posing at the Stadium's

Main Entrance

  

Commemorating the Kingsmens'

1971 NAIA National Championship

We need one of these in Bron, France.

 DIII Sizes

DIII means no scholarships and usually no NFL future, although EuroBall beckons many of these warriors.

Players at this level, regardless of size, are in it for one reason -- LOVE OF THE GAME!

Exhibit A: La Verne's offensive linemen warming up.

Michael Brown #77 is a 6-2, 320 lbs. Freshman from Elk Grove, California while #62 is Jacob Parga a Sophomore listed in the program as being 5-10, 185 lbs. from Chino, California.

Both are pursuing their DIII dreams despite their size differences.

Ben McEnroe

CLU Head Coach

It was Casual Dress Saturday at CLU.

 CLU Carioca Warm Up

 "Where do you want to eat

after the game?"

#76, Sal Chavarin, OL, Junior, 6-2, 360 lbs.

#75, Jesse Cerdas, OL, Sophomore, 6-0, 260 lbs. 

La Verne QB Justin Gomez

Senior, 6-3, 220 lbs.

One of the reasons that I was attending today's game was to evaluate this Leopard QB for the Bron-Villeurbanne Falcons who have him on their short list of prospects for the 2015 season.

La Verne Size Issues

#76, Jan Pfennings, OL, Junior, 6-2, 300 lbs.

#82, Shawn Kagan, WR, Sophomore, 5-5, 150 lbs.

 Justin Gomez was a Team Captain

Good Sign #1

Additionally, one of the mother's of another of the La Verne players, a lady named Jessie Marks, by chance asked me how to get into the stadium. After directing her to the proper entrance, I asked her if she knew Justin.

She went on for about five minutes about what a great person he is off the field.

Good Sign #2.

Unfortunately, the Leopards opted to start a different QB today.

Bad Sign.

He did enter the game in the second half and throw a 14 yard TD pass. Unfortunately, I had left at half time.

Here Come the KINGSMEN!!!

LVU Styling

LVU on Offense

Power Play

Be the Hammer

DIVE!

 Holding on the right?

Trench Warfare

TD CLU!

Allen Connor on the Reception

 Travis Sparks-Jackson in the open

Big day for this Junior as he finished with 250 rushing yards on just 13 carries and notched a TD.

LVU Kickoff

Is returned . . .

54 yards by Ricky Johnson

 That ball draws a crowd

 TD saving pass break-up

by ULV's Lucas Quinn

 Laying Out

 Dallas Parent slashing

through the line

 Open in the End Zone for Six

CLU Swarm

Pick . . .

. . . Six!

Eddie Flores' 42 yard interception return for a TD with just 1:17 left in the first half was the game's statement maker.

With the PAT, CLU was cruising

31-7

The final score on Senior Day would be:

Cal Lutheran 50 - La Verne 21

It was at half time that I left this game in Thousand Oaks to pick up Laurie for the drive north to Santa Barbara to watch another C.I.F. Northern Division playoff game between two teams that we could meet in two weeks in the semi-finals if we get that far.

At 7:30 p.m., it was time for the last football game on our agenda.

Antelope Valley Antelopes (6-4)

Third Place Golden League

vs.

Bishop Diego Cardinals (9-1)

Second Place Tri-Valley League

at

Santa Barbara City College

After stopping for something to eat in Carpinteria, we watched a penalty filled game that a scrappy Bishop Diego team won against a much bigger opponent by a final score of 21-14.

Thus ended about 28 hours of football mania.

We would do it again in a second today if we had the chance!