Saturday, August 29, 2026
Another toasty day in SoCal, a good one to stay indoors during the daylight hours and watch two big EuroBall games unfold.
We'll start with a look at the European Football Alliance's inaugural championship game.
Denmark's Nordic Storm (10-1)
vs.
Germany's Munich Ravens (10-1)
at
Tivoli Stadium, Innsbruck, Austria
In their two regular season meetings, the Ravens beat the Storm in Copenhagen, 37-34, and late in the season, the Storm manhandled the Ravens in Munich, 55-7.
The Storm (11-1) won the rubber
match by a comfortable margin
over the Ravens (10-2)
The Storm won the EFA's
first ever crown
Time to celebrate, INDEED!
Europe's American Football League of Europe was playing its Semifinals this weekend as well.
London Warriors (6-6) at
Vienna Vikings (11-1) on Saturday
Wroclaw Panthers (10-2) at
Rhein Fire (10-2) on Sunday
In there regular season matchup
in London, the Vikings pulverized
the Warriors by a score of 62-10
The Warriors (6-7) were routed again
today in Vienna this time
The Vienna Vikings (12-1) now await the winner of Sunday's Wroclaw-Rhein game in the AFLE's inaugural Gold Bowl Championship game in Duisburg, Germany next Sunday, September 6th.
In the evening, with the temperatures dropping, son Michael and I headed up to Ojai to watch an 8-man football game.
Michael had never seen an 8-man game before and a game at Villanova Preps bucolic campus was a perfect spot to see one of these wide open affairs.
Our season opening combatants were . . .
Carpinteria's Cate School Rams (0-0)
at
Ojai's Villanova Prep Wildcats (0-0)
A school in the country
Because of the heat, the game's Kickoff scheduled for 5:00 p.m., was pushed back this morning to 7:00 p.m.
A good choice but I distinctly remembered that when I visited this stadium last year there were no lights.
A good choice but I distinctly remembered that when I visited this stadium last year there were no lights.
No Lights, No Problem
To beat the heat, Villanova Prep's athletic department wisely brought in ten sets of portable lights, each with its own generator to take care of the eventual loss of daylight.
Go Wildcats!
As I said, a bucolic setting in Ojai
I was happy to be alive and on a
natural grass field as it was a
BEAUTIFUL night for American football!
Cate's pre-game prayer
The Rams enjoy a solid 8-Man football program having made it to the C.I.F.-Southern Section's 8-Man DII Championship game in 2025.
Villanova Prep's last pre-game instructions
The game start with a Kickoff
What else would you expect?
Cate's signature Jet Sweep
The action was fast and furious!
Battle in the Secondary
End of the First Quarter
Cate - 8
Villanova Prep - 0
This run ended up as a Ram's TD
At this level, it is still a game of
Blocking and Tackling
The stands were PACKED!
Cate's Defense was stifling!
Enjoying the moment from our
prime End Zone seats
Halftime Score
Cate - 24
Villanova Prep - 0
The Rams were still motivated
heading into the Third Quarter
When the Sun finally set, the
temperatures in this idyllic setting
dropped precipitously!
Micheal actually went back to our car to get our much desired sweatshirts.
Who would have guessed that?
Interesting remnant of a trench
down the middle of the field
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Wildcats going DEEP!
End of the Third Quarter
Cate - 40
Villanova Prep - 0
Even though the score was out of hand, we were still enjoying the game as both squads continued competing on a play-by-play basis.
There will be more about Justin at the end of this post.
Jesús Ayala
We had a chance to speak at halftime, Jesús is a former Rio Mesa H.S. football player, RMHS Class of 1995.
A fine young man indeed!
A fine young man indeed!
Personalized Cate football
Interesting logo on the back
of the Wildcats jerseys
The Wildcat Defense needs to
improve a bunch this coming week
Wide open football is the hallmark of
the 8-Man brand of American football
Elated Cate Rams players gathering
for their post game chat
The Rams were victorious
Final Score
Cate (1-0) - 46
Villanova Prep (0-1) - 0
The Wildcats will have to regroup quickly as they take on the Pismo Beach's Coastal Christian Conquerors (0-0) next Thursday, September 3rd.
Cate's next game is on Saturday, September 5th, at Santa Maria's Valley Christian Academy Lions (0-1). The Lions lost today to the Hesperia Christian Patriots (1-0), 40-13.
Post game Selfie with Michael and
referee/Rio Mesa alum Justin Schmidt
Justin was a lineman at RMHS
playing with Michael all four
years of High school
They were both members of the Rio Mesa H.S. Graduating Class of 1994.
Justin was a great young man to coach back in the day and has developed into a great adult roll model since those long ago days.
I am glad to see him keep involved in the game with what now must be a 20+ year career as a referee.
Life Continues to Bless Me!
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