Coaching for Pizza: Camarillo's Big Rivalry Flag Football Game: Monte Vista Toros at Las Colinas Mustangs

Sun.-Mon., October 5-6, 2025

After a sleepy NFL Sunday, after all the Rams had played on Thursday night, we returned to action on Monday.

This was not just any ordinary middle school coed flag football game, it was Camarillo's version of The Big Game!

It was time for the first of two meetings between Camarillo's two biggest middle schools with two things on the line.

First, the winner of this game would get to host the rematch on Wednesday, October 15th when these two clubs would battle it out for the coveted Camarillo Classic Trophy. Las Colinas has won this trophy four of the last four years.

The second reason to win today was to gain the brief, nine day bragging rights that would come with a victory until the game for the trophy.

It was time to play ball . . .

The Monte Vista Middle School Toros

Record Unknown

The Las Colinas Middle School Mustangs

Season Results

2 Wins - 2 Losses

at C.A.P.E. Comets - Lost 12-8

vs. Los Primeros Panthers - Lost 7-6

at Mesa Union Tigers - Won 21-0

vs U.P.C.S. Dolphins - Won 15-6

It could not possibly have been a more BEAUTIFUL day for American flag football as you might suspect.

Final pre-game coaching tips

Captains of various sizes

meeting at midfield

Monte Vista brought their cheerleaders

Ready to cover the Opening Kickoff

The Toros had several small but

highly elusive RBs and WRs

Monte Vista would come out throwing

all sorts of Wide Receiver Screens

with great success

Here was another one

Nice catch but that might be a

block in the back that went uncalled

Mustangs kept it on the ground but . . .

. . . still mixed in some good . . .

. . . passes that . . .

. . . picked up key yards

One more roll out before the end

of the first period

Lots of action in this opening period but the End Zones were still unscathed.

End of the First Period

Monte Vista - 0

Las Colinas - 0

Mustangs QB rolling out again . . .

. . . which led to the old flag spin move

It actually works from time to time, just not this time.

How many WR Screens can a

team run in a Half?

Elusive

Wide Receiver Screen #105 of the game

O.K., that is probably an exaggeration.

But not by much.

Scary in the open field

SURROUND HIM!

Swivel hips to the outside

HUGE catch by this Toro

Pursuit was vital

Nice block by this Toro on,

guess what, a Wide Receiver Screen

GET HIM!

DANGER!

This Mustang got the flags at last

NUTS!

Monte Vista scored first

Their PAT pass was incomplete

Monte Vista took the early 6-0 lead.

How would Las Colinas respond?

Quite well as this Mustang took . . .

. . . the ensuing Kickoff Return to

THE HOUSE!

As they used to say on the old Santa Barbara based KEYT Friday Football Focus TV show, he was . . .

"G-O-N-E . . . GONE!"

The Mustangs' one-point PAT pass . . .

. . . was caught . . .

. . . and stretched pass the Goal Line

The Mustangs now led the Toros, 7-6.

Rallying on the following

Mustangs' Kickoff

Those flag are so close to the turf

making them tougher to pull it seemed

A truly explosive Toro

Toros going DEEP for once . . .

. . . but it was a bit too high

Monte Vista opted to go DEEP

again on the next play

This one was contested but

fell incomplete

Jacob was in at WR going DEEP . . .

. . . catching this pass . . .

. . . for a MUSTANGS TD!

Jacob's mother Vanessa caught

the play on video

I was quite impressed by how calmly she took Jacob's big play.

On the two-point PAT try, the Mustangs'

WR fumbled the ball while reaching

out for the Goal Line

Though that play is all the rage in the NFL this season, his flags had already been pulled just before he reached out.

Halftime Score

Las Colinas - 13

Monte Vista - 6

The Monte Vista Second Half

Kickoff was short . . .

. . . but returned . . .

. . . expertly . . .

. . . deep into Monte Vista territory

Another rollout led to . . .

. . . another spin move again to no avail

WHOOSH!

Toros slant route

Mustangs Pursuit

One-on-One

WR vs. DB

A scoreless period, the game was still too close for comfort.

End of the Third Quarter

Las Colinas - 13

Monte Vista - 6

Back to the Toros WR Screen playbook

Monte Vista throwing upfield . . .

. . . it's going to be a . . .

. . . Jump Ball!

This Monte Vista pass was overthrown.

Once back on Offense, Las Colinas needed a big play or two.

This Sweep was that play . . .

. . . she turned the corner and . . .

. . . exploded up the field . . .

. . . to set up the second big play of

the drive but first . . .

. . . this roll out pass . . .

. . . turned into a QB scramble . . .

. . . requiring this WR to block . . .

. . . for a long time

Now as for that second big play of the drive . . .

Time to dust off the reliable, old

"Left Guard Block and Go" play . . .

He was OPEN . . .

. . . made the catch for an

apparent short gain but . . .

. . . then turned, exploded . . .

. . . and swivel hipped . . .

. . . his way up the sidline . . .

. . . needing to beat one Toro . . .

. . . to reach . . .

. . . the Goal Line . . .

. . . and another MUSTANGS' TD!

Again, Vanessa somehow managed

to remain calm and composed

while videoing Jacob's TD

How does she do it? I know that I was excited for him.

The PAT pass was too high

There was still about six minutes left in the game as the Mustangs upped their lead to 19-6.

We were all breathing easier but not by much.

This Kickoff left the Toros

deep in their own end of the field

Pass Rush was a MUST!

About to club this Toro's arm

REEEEEEEACH!

PRESSURE!

Thank goodness that Mustang LB

on the ground pulled his flag

Aggression in The Pit

Las Colinas on the move again

Hair flying in the Offensive Line

Going DEEP to . . .

. . . one of the backup Mustangs

who is ALWAYS encouraging his

teammates from the sidelines . . .

. . . he made this finger tip catch . . .

. . . semi-secured it . . .

. . . and blew right past me on . . .

. . . his way to the End Zone,

TD MUSTANGS!

The best thing about this play for me was seeing the Mustangs both on the field and on the sidelines ERUPT into a cacophony of sheer joy, not so much about the TD but about who scored it and what he means to the fabric of the Mustangs' team.

Oh, by the way, the Mustangs lead was now 25-6 after failing to convert the PAT.