Friday, November 10, 2023
I was joined by our son Michael for the latest edition of Friday Night Lights.
It would be the 38th Pop Warner, Intermediate School flag football, High School and College game that I have attended this season.
But first we needed sustenance at one of our favorite Thousand Oaks fine dining spots.
Did you know that I like tacos?
Three of their delicious street tacos got me in the proper mood for a C.I.F.-Southern Section Division 5 Quarter-Final Playoff Game played on a chilly night.
The game was played at
Thousand Oaks High School
But who was playing . . .
Bonita H.S. Bearcats
9 Wins - 2 Losses
Second Place Mountain West League
Over their 120 year history, Bonita has established a rich football tradition.
Who is the Bearcats all-time greatest player you may ask?
Why none other than West Point
HB Glenn Davis, a.k.a., "Mr. Outside"
Davis was the 1946 Heisman Trophy winner from Army seen here standing next to the Black Knights legendary Head Coach Col. Earle "Red" Blaik.
In 1942, Davis led Bonita H.S. to a perfect 11-0, C.I.F. Championship season. For his efforts, he was deservedly named the 1942 C.I.F. Player of the Year.
Success followed him during his career at Army where he teamed with 1945 Heisman Trophy winner Felix "Doc" Blanchard, a.k.a., "Mr. Inside," to form one of college football's most renowned backfields.
During their three years together the
Black Knights were an amazing 27-0-1
This Topps football card mislabeled our two heroes as Glenn Davis #41 is on the left.
Army was named college football's National Champions in all three of the seasons that the Mr. Inside and Mr. Outside backfield led the Black Knights in 1944, 1945 and 1946. That 27-0-1 record is still amazing to this day.
Davis earned a whopping TEN letters during his West Point athletic career, four in football, three in baseball, two in track & field and one in baseball.
As a ball carrier, during his three Varsity seasons at Army, he averaged an amazing 8.3 yards per carry.
After graduating from Army in 1947, Davis honored his minimum four year commitment to serve as an officer in the U.S. Army.
After his honorable discharge from the
Army, Davis played the 1950-51 seasons
with our beloved Los Angeles Rams
He was selected to the 1950 Pro Bowl team and was a key member of the Rams 1951 NFL Championship team.
Unfortunately, a knee injury ended his career after that 1951 season.
Thousand Oaks H.S. Lancers
8 Wins - 3 Losses
Tri-Champions Canyon League
With Dave Hilliard, Larry Mohr and
Ron Hilliard before the game
We had a chance, unplanned but most decidedly fun meeting before the game with these players from our 1976 Thousand Oak H.S. team that won a Marmonte League Championship.
Thousand Oaks H.S. first opened their doors in 1962. They too have a rich football tradition but, no, they do not have a Heisman Trophy winning alumni.
Time for the action to start
Bonita, in white, displayed great
Kickoff Return schemes
Both teams ran the ball well with
the First Quarter being full of
Offense as T.O. led 13-7
In the Second Quarter, the Defenses took
over, as it was still T.O. 13-7 at the Half
You may notice, if you look hard enough, that five of the black clad Lancers are wearing green helmets not white ones like their teammates.
This is a tradition that the Lancers started back in 1971 that they somehow got from the University of Washington.
The Green Helmet was awarded to elite, hard hitting, high motor Defensive players who also exhibited everything that a great football player should to play at a championship level.
New T.O. Head Coach Ben McEnroe brought the Green Helmet back this season after the past few coaches had shied away from it.
While all of the Lancers looked well coached and full of both passion and all-out effort, the five Green Helmet players still stood out.
These five young men wearing the Green Helmet tonight played exactly how God always wanted Green Helmet players to play.
The Defense was still on display
despite good moments of Offense by
both teams, end of the Third Quarter,
Lancers 13 - Bearcats 7
That's going to leave a mark
Both teams finally scored again in the Fourth Quarter but Thousand Oaks held on for the win in what turned out to be a physical but cleanly played game between two excellent teams.
FINAL SCORE
Thousand Oaks Lancers (9-3) - 19
Bonita Bearcats (9-3) - 13
This was the best game that I've seen this season.
Up next for the Lancers is a C.I.F.-Southern Section Division 5 Semi-Final Game against their fellow Canyon League Tri-Champion, the Newbury Park H.S. Panthers (9-3).
These two teams played back on September 22nd with Newbury Park winning a shootout 54-42.
In their Quarter-Final playoff game tonight, the Panthers beat the Foothill H.S. Knights, 41-34, thanks to an amazing, come from behind 28 point Fourth Quarter outburst.
It should be a great game.
At the end of the day, it ALWAYS
comes back to TACOS!
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