Friday, August 19, 2022

First Game of the 2022 High School Season

 

Thursday, August 18, 2022

It was a busy night of American football once again.

We started with the usual 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Stingers practice at Camarillo's Freedom Park.

Jacob in the red cap at Tight end

Working to the second level
to block a Linebacker

Running a pass route from
the Tight End position

Making contact on an attempted
Wide Receiver Screen

Jacob, GO DEEP!

After the Stingers practice was over, Jacob, Michael and I hustled over to Rio Mesa H.S. to watch the Saugus Centurions at Rio Mesa Spartans' opening game of the season which started at 7:00 p.m.

When we arrived, there were about
three minutes left in the First Half

Rio Mesa was leading 14-0.

It was a BEAUTIFUL night
for American football!

Jacob and I posed for our annual
photo with Diego Renteria

Diego is a former Spartan player who I coached years ago at Rio Mesa. He is currently an official working games at the NCAA level but tonight he was at the game to evaluate the games officials for the Channel Coast Referees Association.

Disaster about to strike

On the last play of the First Half, Saugus scored a TD on a Hail Mary pass that the Rio Mesa defender tried to intercept but instead tipped into the waiting arms of a Centurion receiver.

At the Half, Rio Mesa 14 - Saugus 7.

Saugus received the Second Half kickoff and quickly returned it for another Centurion TD.

Rio Mesa 14 - Saugus 14

Back-to-back TD plays for the visiting Centurions, WOW!

The game continued with a 14-14 tie
score until late in the Fourth Quarter

With the ball on the hash, Saugus attempted a short Field Goal for the lead. For some unknown reason, Rio Mesa opted to overload the short side of the field in an effort to block the kick.

The kick was a low line drive affair that barely cleared the line of scrimmage to the wide side of the field where the goal posts were located. The ball snuck in somehow, skimming through the juncture of the cross bar and the upright.

Final Score: Saugus 17 - Rio Mesa 14

So it begins again . . .

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