Thursday, November 23, 2023
Our Thanksgiving started with an invitation to attend one of high school football's greatest traditions, the Thanksgiving Day early morning practice.
Having earned the right to hold this practice used to mean that you had enjoyed a league championship regular season and had just won your opening round C.I.F.-Southern Section playoff game.
Enter the addition of the two game California State Playoff system a few years ago that pits Section Champions against each other in various divisions. This now means that schools practicing today, Thanksgiving morning are playing for a Section Championship this weekend.
The California Interscholastic Federation (C.I.F.) is the governing body of high school athletics in the state. The C.I.F. has divided the state's 1,043 football playing high schools into ten geographically based Sections of unequal sizes. The largest is the Southern Section which is comprised of 556 high schools while the smallest is the San Francisco Section with only 15 member high schools.
The Newbury Park H.S. Panthers are 10-3 on the season, a Canyon League Tri-Champion and a Southern Section Division 5 Finalist. They will host the Division 5 Championship Game on Saturday night vs. Orange Vista H.S. Coyotes which is also 10-3 and the Ivy League Champions. The winner of this game will play in a state semi-final playoff game the following weekend.
Panthers Head Coach Joe Smigiel invited alumni players and coaches to join the 2023 Panthers team in this ritual celebratory practice session.
Thus as a former NPHS JV football coach, I joined Michael and Jacob to take part in the festivities of this 8:00 a.m. workout.
This Panthers alternate helmet . . .
. . . looked good on Jacob
It was, of course, a BEAUTIFUL day
for an American football practice!
OL Coach Ryan Hurley running
his charges through their paces
Run Blocking
Pass Blocking
7-on-7 is a big part of any NPHS practice
The Panthers have been known for their cutting edge passing attacks for over 30 years. This season has been no different.
Here NP Sophomore QB Brady Smigiel is seen in action.
Through 13 games this year he has thrown for 3,859 yards and 49 TDs. His yardage total is the 18th best in entire United States high school scene this year.
11 on 11
A wide open Panther WR is not
unusual at NP practices or games
Former NP QB great
Cameron Merrill with his kids
A break in the action for Coach Smigiel
to introduce the alumni Panthers
Several alums made short speeches about the importance of the occasion and how much their high school football experince still means to them to this day.
A group shot of all who were
in attendance today
The bonding moment was over, time
for the Panthers to get back to work
What a fun morning!
Now, it was time for this year's mini-Thanksgiving which would be a much different affair than usual for us.
Traditionally, the Contreras Clan would gather at my parents home for a delicious feast for 20-30 people. My sister Linda had become the main chef at this annual gathering and had always done a spectacular job. Her efforts last year may have been her best ever.
Unfortunately, over the years many of our usual attendees have passed on which has gradually dwindled our November gatherings.
With my Mother's recent passing, no one had the physical or mental energy to try and host the event this year.
Thus Laurie and I would dine alone on this Thanksgiving Thursday as Andrew's branch of the family would be home in Las Vegas while Michael's family would spend their afternoon at his in-laws.
Our weekend plan was to have Michael, Vanessa, Jacob and Mary come to our home for a Friday edition of a Thanksgiving meal.
Still, we needed to decide on what the two of us would eat today for Thanksgiving.
I do love Lasagna . . .
. . . you all know of our addiction
problems with tacos . . .
. . . and an In-N-Out Thanksgiving Feast
sounded expectedly wonderful but . . .
. . . with just the two of us, Laurie
kept it simple and delicious
Pretty much par for the course
yet again today
I hope that you had . . .
. . . a Happy Thanksgiving too
News from the internet . . .
Spain's Pre-Season Copa de España
Tournament Semi-Finals will
be contested this Saturday
Hilarious NFL Draft Declaration
Click on the photo to better read this Davidson College Wildcats back-up lineman's hilarious comments about his intention to enter the 2024 NFL Draft.
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