Saturday, October 14, 2023
It was an Autumn Saturday, so of course we were going to dedicate the day to the great game of American football!
It started with a 10:00 a.m. kickoff of a Pop Warner Sophomore level game played at Camarillo H.S.
Saugus Spartans White
1 Win - 5 Losses
at
3 Wins - 3 Losses
The Saugus club was coming off of their first win of the season, a 20-0 drubbing of the Oxnard Knights (0-6).
Meanwhile, the Stingers were getting back into the swing of things after having a bye last weekend.
I believe this 1,000%!
While the two teams' records indicated a significant Camarillo advantage, the game is still played on the field.
Instead, it would turn out to be a battle for the entire 40 minutes of the game.
The Stingers came out running
the ball as usual
Blocking a Spartan off of
his feet is a good thing
Reading a block, making a cut
Passes were mostly absent
on the day for both teams
A good lead block is a
thing of absolute beauty
The calm before the storm
At the end of the First Quarter, it was Camarillo 0 - Saugus 0.
OH MY GOD, a pass!
This Saugus throw definitely was not a spiral but it was a pass.
This was the second Saugus pass
of the day resulting in this
Camarillo Interception!
The Stingers DB had a nice return
on his Interception
Once again, that darn ball
draws a crowd
Pressuring the Saugus QB
The yardage for both teams
came at a tough price
Stingers breaking away but the
Spartans Defense defended their
End Zone succesfully
A hard hit by a Camarillo Linebacker
The Stingers pursuit was
RELENTLESS!
See what I mean?
Jacob, #99, started the game at
Cornerback but was now playing
as a stand-up Defensive End
He is proudly wearing one of the white, game worn Army towels that he liberated at the West Point game last weekend.
Jacob in Hot Pursuit
Did I mention that the Stingers
like to run the ball?
The First Half featured lots of good running plays and a key turnover by each team, but both Defenses came up big when needed.
The Halftime score was Camarillo 0 - Saugus 0.
It felt like the first team that blinked in the Second Half would win.
The Third Quarter Kickoff saw
a jarring Camarillo tackle to
set the tone for the final 20 minutes
The Stingers continued their
excellent Defensive pressure
Again, the ground game was the
emphasis of the Camarillo attack
As it was for Saugus too
Finally someone blinked
Thank goodness, it was Saugus doing the blinking.
Their Fourth Down fumble, late in the Third Quarter, was scooped up by this Stingers Defensive Lineman and returned inside the ten yard line.
Camarillo was in business as the Third Quarter ended with the score still, Camarillo 0 - Saugus 0.
The first play of the Fourth Quarter
led to . . .
. . . this Camarillo TD!
Only 10 seconds into the final stanza of play, the Stingers may have blown the game wide open if their Defense could continue their pursuing, hard hitting ways.
This Two Point PAT attempt
came up just short
Camarillo 6 - Saugus 0
The Stingers Defense did indeed ramp
up their efforts with the slim lead
Camarillo's Pursuit was fun to watch
SWARM!
Jacob at Defensive End again
Jacob getting his jersey yanked
Run to the ball
Hang on for dear life!
The upcoming Camarillo DL's hit
may just leave a mark
This was an OUTSTANDING open
field tackle by this tw0 way Stinger
Camarillo's #86 held on to
just trip up the Saugus QB
With plays like this, the Camarillo Defense rose to the occasion, did their job and forced a turnover on downs on Saugus' final series.
A few more Stingers run plays
ran out the clock and . . .
. . . the Stingers Sophomore team
had another win!
Camarillo Stingers (4-3) - 6
Saugus Spartans White (1-6) - 0
Rosie Nolan, a great old and highly knowledgable coach, once told me about 53 years ago that "It's not luck when you shut them out."
Throughout my coaching career I have found that statement to be true.
The Stingers have one more game left in their regular season against their league's best team, the Calabasas Rams Black team.
Though listed as a home game for the Stingers, it will be played at Ventura H.S. due to a field scheduling conflict at Camarillo H.S. next Saturday.
A post-game photo op
After the game, Jacob and Michael joined me for this photo with our long time family friend, former Rio Mesa H.S. teaching/coaching colleague, Ventura Surf Rodeo CEO and today's Head Referee, Brett Phillips.
I loved when Brett started the game with the traditional coin toss at midfield with the team captains from both squads. His opening line to the captains was, "It's a BEAUTIFUL day for American football!"
What a wonderful sentiment, I wish I'd thought of it.
An artsy photo of Jacob and
Michael leaving the stadium
We had to hurry as the day's BIG game on the college football slate was scheduled to start in about 30 minutes.
Oregon Ducks
5 Wins - 0 Losses
#8 Ranked Nationally
at
Washington Huskies
5 Wins - 0 Losses
#7 Ranked Nationally
Jacob and Michael would join us at our home for the viewing party of what should have been a real barn burner of a game.
AND IT WAS!
Lots of ebbs and flows for both teams with Ducks taking a four point, 33-29 lead in the Fourth Quarter.
The Oregon Offense turned the ball over on downs, a controversial decision by the Ducks coach to be sure.
The Huskies QB is Michael Penix Jr. What he did in the next two plays, on national TV, may just be his "Heisman Moment."
He got the lead back for Washington in just two plays and the Huskies Defense stifled the Ducks final drive.
What an AWESOME day of Stingers and Huskies football!
After the Huskies game we noted
how close Jacob is to passing his
mother Vanessa in height
At his current rate of sprouting, I'd say that he passes Vanessa before we celebrate our next Ground Hogs Day.
While we were in full football mode, my sister Linda sent us this photo of our mother in her full Dominoes cutthroat mode at her skilled nursing home in Pasadena.
Mom is on the far right with
the red and black shawl
She gets so focused during these games that help her forget all of her aches and pains for a time.
My final thought for this Saturday was . . .
. . . again, 1,000% true!
I saw this today on the internet and recalled thinking about where our 2024 college football game trip would be while were flying home from the Boston College-Army game last Sunday.
As Brett Phillips said so eloquently earlier in the day, it was indeed a BEAUTIFUL day for American football!
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