The End of CYBA Basketball and the Start of Camarillo Cosmos Track and Field

Sun.-Sat., March 5-11, 2023 

A week that started on a somber note . . .

We gathered to lay to rest one

of Ventura County's coaching legends

Jim was the Head Football Coach at Oxnard H.S. in the early 1970s before embarking on an illustrious career as the Head Football Coach at Moorpark College.

While at Moorpark his Raider squads won 12 Conference Championships and made 18 post-season appearances.

More importantly, based on the many comments made by people in attendance at his memorial service, he positively touched ever so many lives.

With Martha Jimenez-Ito and Rick Torres

I was fortunate to be able to catch up with these two former Rio Mesa H.S. colleagues at Coach Bittner's service.

Later in the week I met up with Martha

again for coffee and these amazing

desserts at Carrera Pastries in Moorpark

YUM is the right word.

On Tuesday night, we had another Camarillo Youth Basketball Association Grade 5 playoff game to contest. 

Jacob's #3 seeded Wildcats (6-4) against the #4 seeded Buckeyes (6-4) at 6:00 p.m. at the Las Colinas Middle School gym. This is a double elimination tournament and both clubs already had suffered a loss so the loser of tonbight's game would be done for the season.

DEFENSE!

Running on a Fast Break

The Buckeyes started out with red hot shooting in streaking to an 8-0 lead but the Wildcats fought their way back into the game. At the end of the First Quarter it was Buckeyes 8 - Wildcats 4.

One just HAS to rebound a miss

Lull in the action

It continued to be a dog fight, at the Half it was Buckeyes 12 - Wildcats 10.

Hand checking is apparently

legal in the CYBA

Open on the wing

The Buckeyes were taking no prisoners, after three quarters of play the Buckeyes were in command 25-16.

Keep Competing!

Another Buckeye free throw attempt

Speaking of foul shooting, late in the game Jacob fouled out for the first time this season.

The Final Score was Buckeyes (7-4) 34 - Wildcats (6-5) 20.

We were all happy with the two Wildcat coaches who were positive all season long and did a fine job of stressing/teaching the fundamentals of the game at every practice.

Thus Jacob's CYBA season came to a close on Tuesday night but on Saturday morning, the Camarillo Cosmos track and field season would open.

The Cosmos home track

is found at Camarillo H.S.

Strangely, the start/finish line is found on the much smaller visiting stands side of the track.

Mary in the pink headband with

her teammates

The BIG hug that she gave me when I first saw her was more than worth the price of admission!

Mary and her speedy friend Jaq

Brooklyn is another of Mary's buds

Mary's first event was the Long Jump

Getting some Air Time

I wonder if her locks create wind drag?

Second Attempt

More Air Time

Stick that landing Mary!

Jacob, lime headband, warming up for

his first event, the 80 meter Low Hurdles

Time for the actual race . . .

Wheeeee!

This form looks better

Unique arm action

This is no time for a High Five

Flying over the barriers

FINISH!

I thought that Jacob did quite well in his first ever competition in this highly technical event.

Third Place Tie today for Jacob!

Michael getting Mary lined up to run

the anchor leg of the 4 x 100 meter relay

Michael volunteers his time at the Cosmos meets helping to get contestants to the correct spots before the start of events.

Mary just had to give Michael

a hug before the race

Social shenanigans are a huge

part of any Cosmos track meet

Mary getting on her game face

Here comes the baton

Run Mary RUN!

This is Mary's anchor leg

of the 4 x 100 Meter Relay

Jacob ran the second leg of his team's 4 x 100 Meter Relay but I was woefully out of position to take any photos.

Mary's 400 Meter Dash was TOUGH!

Keep going Mary!

A Fifth Place Finish in her first

ever 400 Meter Dash was a good thing

Jacob's turn at the 400 Meter Dash

He may not be the happiest person

on the track for this grueling race

Go Jacob GO!

Mary's best event today was

the 100 Meter Dash

Driving for the Finish Line

This was Mary's fourth and final event of the day.

Jacob's last event was the Long Jump

Another high flying Contreras kid!

Both of our grandchildren were happy with their efforts in their first Cosmos track meet ever.

So were we.

Now as for American football . . .

Our local High School district announced

the hiring of five new Head Football Coaches

Good luck to all of them in 2023!

The Italian Football League enjoyed

its second week of the 2023 season

Week #2 IFL Results

Milano Rhinos 30 - Verona Mastini 6

Ancona Dolphins 40 - Legnano Frogs 6

Lazio Ducks 31 - Emilia Stainless Steel Warriors 21

BYES: Firenze Guelfi, Parma Panthers

and Varese Skorpions

Week #2 IFL Standings

Ancona Dolphins 1-0

Firenze Guelfi 1-0

Lazio Ducks 1-0

Milano Rhinos 1-0

Parma Panthers 0-0

Emilia Stainless Steel Warriors 0-1

Legnano Frogs 0-1

Varese Skorpions 0-1

Verona Mastini 0-1

Week #3 IFL Schedule

Stainless Steel Warriors (0-1) at Guelfi (1-0)

Panthers (0-0) at Rhinos (1-0)

Skorpions (0-1) at Mastini (0-1)

BYES: Dolphins (1-0), Ducks (1-0)

and Frogs (0-1)

Reading Is FUNdamental!

This was my fourth read in the

Maisie Dobbs series

I can't wait to get my hands on the next book in this well crafted mystery series set in post WWI London.

Two Days of CYBA Grade 5 Basketball Playoff Mania!

Friday-Saturday, March 3-4, 2023 

March Madness, CYBA style, started this week for our beloved Wildcats.

Friday Night's First Round Game

The CYBA's post-season tournament is a double elimination affair. Jacob's Grade 5 club, the #3 seeded Wildcats (5-3), were taking on the #6 seeded Deacons (2-6) at the Pleasant Valley School of Engineering and Arts gymnasium at 6:00 p.m.

Last Words of Wisdom

before the opening tip-off

The Deacons were playing tough defense

Dribbling and looking to pass

The score was all knotted up at the end of the First Quarter, Wildcats 4 - Deacons 4.

Finally, the pass was made

Running around and having LOTS of fun

It was still anybody's game at the Half as the Wildcats enjoyed a slight advantage, Wildcats 7 - Deacons 5.

Now, would the Wildcats coach be able to once again make his usual Halftime adjustments?

Rebound that basketball!

Fast Breaking

The halftime adjustments worked!

After three periods, the Wildcats had opened a nine point lead, Wildcats 16 - Deacons 7.

Ready to rebound an errant

Deacons' free throw attempt

Fast breaking yet again

Resting in the Fourth Quarter

The Wildcats won going away, the Final Score was Wildcats 22 - Deacons 11.

With the victory, the now 6-3 Wildcats were going to play a Second Round game on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at their normal game site, the Las Colinas Middle School gym.

But against which club, the #2 seeded Trojans (6-2) or the #7 seeded Blue Devils (2-6)?

Those two teams were playing right after our game on Friday night.

Jacob and one of his fellow Wildcats

stuck around to watch/scout their

potential opponent

Saturday Afternoons's Second Round Game

As expected, this game would see the #3 seeded Wildcats (6-3) go against the powerful #2 seeded Trojans (7-2).

The Wildcats were ready for the Tip-Off

Jacob working to get open for a pass

Defending the Trojans inbounds pass

Getting run into at the top of the key

Crashing into the Trojans BIG MAN

The Wildcats were competing well to start the game, at the end of the First Quarter it was Trojans 6 - Wildcats 4.

Basketball is good exercise . . .

. . . especially when defending a fast break

Taking a shot

One-on-one with the tall Trojan

Looking to the rim

The Trojans got red hot and stretched their lead, at the Halftime break it was Trojans 17 - Wildcats 7.

Mugging on the bench for the paparazzi

Crazy Trojan arm flailing

Running the court

Getting physical with big #12

Taking another shot

The Wildcat's usual Halftime adjustments were no where to be seen on this day. At the end of the Third Quarter the score was Trojans 29 - Wildcats 12.

Another long sprint

Finding the open Wildcat under the basket

David vs. Goliath

"He flys through the air with

the greatest of ease . . ."

One last rebound opportunity

The Wildcats played with a lot of heart in the Fourth Quarter but it was not enough. The Final Score was Trojans 33 - Wildcats 23.

The #3 seeded Wildcats (6-4) now move to the Consolation Bracket for a game next Tuesday night at Las Colinas Middle School where they will take on the #4 seeded Buckeyes (6-4). The tip-off is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.

News from the wonderful world of EuroBall . . .

The 2023 Italian Football League's

Kickoff Classic

On Saturday our beloved Varese Skorpions who were the FIDAF DII Champions in 2022 with a record of 8-1 were hosting FIDAF's defending DI Champions, the Firenze Guelfi who were 9-2 last year.

The game marked the Skorpions first game at the DI level in 33 years. In 2023, Italy's top division for American football would be called the Italian Football League which sounds much better to me than the old FIDAF DI appellation.

The IFL has nine teams this year with each squad playing the other eight IFL clubs once in the regular season.

This first week of the season, only the Guelfi and Skorpions were playing to further highlight this Clash of Champions showdown.

IFL Week #1 byes were being enjoyed by these seven clubs: Ancona Dolphins, Lazio Ducks, Legnano Frogs, Verona Mastini, Parma Panthers, Milan Rhinos and Emilia Stainless Steel Warriors.

In a monumental move, this year's IFL's Super Bowl XLII will be played on July 1st in Toledo, Ohio at the University of Toledo's Glass Bowl that has a seating capacity of 26,038.

In a wise move . . .

BCSN, a Toledo, Ohio sports station, is live streaming an IFL Game of the Week throughout the entire season to drum up interest in the IFL Super Bowl XLII classic. You can watch these games for a mere $6 each week.

I spent the $6 as I was joined by

Laurie and Michael as we rooted

for our Skorpions

Historically, we knew that the Skorpions were in for a potentially hard season.

Since 2016, the Skorpions were just the fifth club to accept the automatic elevation to DI after winning the DII Championship the previous campaign.

First Year DI Record of DII Champions

2016 Forli-Pesaro U.T.A. 2-8

2018 Bologna Warriors 1-7

2019 Milan Rhinos 1-7 (in 2021 post-Covid)

2021 Modena Vipers 3-5

2022 Varese Skorpions ???

Damn, sometimes I hate History

On this day, our Skorpions were simply outmatched by a better team.

The Guelfi dominated all three phases of the game as they led 35-0 late in the Second Quarter. With that 35 point lead, the rest of the game was played with a running clock.

The Guelfi (1-0) and Skorpions (0-1) both have byes next weekend and will be back in action on Saturday, March 18th. The Skorpions will travel to Verona to play the Mastini (0-0) while the Guelfi will host the Emilia Stainless Steel Warriors (0-0).

I must say that the BCSN broadcast was excellent! The camera work was first rate and the announcers handled broadcasting this rout professionally.

Of course, the fact that Second Half broadcast included lots of lively discussion on the subject of Italian cuisine didn't hurt them in my in-depth ratings.

Finally . . .

One last look at the City of Ventura

after the past week's crazy weather

Reading Is FUNdamental!

Nazi gold, Hermann Goering, the IRA,

Guinness beer and a 21st-century

Jesse James

All of the ingredients were in place for a great historical novel which could easily become a box office hit of a movie some day with, say, Colin Farrell as the star.

It's Been a Few Days . . .

Monday-Thursday, February 20-March 2, 2023

The past 11 days have seen lots of inclement weather throughout all of Southern California.

See what I mean?

This photo of of San Gabriel Mountains

overlooking the greater Altadena/Pasadena

megalopolis was shared by longtime blog fan

Michael D'Antuono

Although it did not snow in Camarillo, we did have some hail, at times, to accompany our torrential downpours.

Granddaughter Mary peering out of one

of the Camarillo Public Library's windows

The library offered us a good refuge from that day's rain.

Laurie and I watched an excellent PBS documentary called "Can We All Get Along: The Segregation of John Muir High School" that detailed the long range, negative effects that the 1970s forced desegregation busing laws had on this high school in Pasadena that sits only a couple of miles down the 210 Freeway from my alma mater, St. Francis H.S.

Inspired by this documentary, I stopped off at John Muir H.S. on the way home from visiting my Mother in her Pasadena skilled nursing facility.

My Mother continues to have both good and bad days as she perseveres with surprising strength for a 98 year old.

There was a baseball game in progress

Eagle Rock H.S. Eagles (1-1)

at John Muir H.S. Mustangs (1-1)

I stayed for just one inning

That 42 above the scoreboard is

for John Muir's most famous alumni

Jackie Robinson

Our European readers may not be aware that Jackie Robinson wore the number 42 as a member of the Brooklyn Dodgers when he was the first Black player to integrate major league baseball in 1947.

It was not an easy road for him to say the least.

The Muir pow-wow on the mound

worked as the Mustangs won 10-0

in a Mercy Rule shortened game

On the morning that I drove Laurie

to her dental appointment, I got to spend

an hour at the local Barnes and Noble

As our friends in Sweden would say, it was "Fika Time" as far as I was concerned at the book store's Starbuck's.

A rainy morning, lots of books, coffee and a pastry meant that life was good!

News from the Camarillo Youth Basketball Association . . .

With the regular Grade 5 season over, the CYBA added a one game pre-playoff game to get teams ready for the post-season's double elimination tournament which starts this weekend.

CYBA GRADE 5

FINAL REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS

Bruins 6-1

Trojans 6-1

Wildcats 4-3

Buckeyes 4-3

Tigers 4-3

Deacons 2-5

Blue Devils 1-6

Orange 1-6

In Saturday's game Jacob's 4-3 Wildcats played the also 4-3 Tigers, a team that beat them by a single point in their regular season match-up via a buzzer beater.

I opted not to take photos this week so that I could simply concentrate more on watching the two clubs play.

The First Quarter found both teams in trouble trying to score points, after one period it was Tiger 2 - Wildcats 0.

The tough sledding continued in the Second Quarter. At the Half it was Tigers 6 - Wildcats 2.

Whatever the Wildcats' coach said at halftime seemed to work immediately. The score after three periods of play was now Wildcats 10 - Tigers 8.

FOURTH QUARTER!

The Wildcats intense one day-a-week conditioning program paid off in spades. The final score was Wildcats 20 - Tigers 18.

The #3 seeded Wildcats (5-3) will play the #6 seeded Deacons (2-6) on Saturday at 6:00 p.m. this Friday in a first round Grade 5 playoff game. StubHub still has tickets available for this titanic match-up.

Go Wildcats GO!

News from EuroBall . . .

The new European League of Football's

Paris team changed their name from

Saints to Musketeers

A good move in my opinion.

The Italian DI season starts

this weekend in Varese

The 2022 DI Champion Firenze Guelfi will travel to play the 2022 DII Champion Varese Skorpions.

Should be interesting.

For more information on the 2023 Italian Football League season click here:

https://fb.watch/j1hYBDnkKR/?mibextid=2Rb1fB

Reading Is FUNdamental!

The third book of author Winspear's

detective Maisie Dobbs books that I've read

Excellent yet again.

New Orleans, Ghosts and

Cold Case Murders

What was not to like about this book?