Alberto's last ten days in America would be full of food and football as one would epect.
But first . . .
Here our son Michael is seen picking him up to attend a day of classes at Newbury Park H.S.
Alberto received special permission from Josh Eby, the Principal at N.P.H.S., to shadow Panther JV Free Safety Joey DeVera at school for a day to see if his vastly improved English language skills were good enough for him to keep up in classroom situations.
He felt confident after this experience that he could process material in school in the USA in his second language.
Crazy football weekend starts
After our N.P.H.S. JV walk-through practice on Thursday, we were off to Pacifica H.S. to see the host Tritons, coached by long-time friend Mike Moon, beat Reseda H.S. in convincing fashion 42-0.
JV GAME DAY FRIDAY AT N.P.H.S.!
Saugus (1-0) at Newbury Park (1-0)
Here Come the Panthers!!!
Two teams bonding
On the Monday of Saugus week, the Panther Varsity was stunned to learn of the death of one of their players, #30 Daniel Morales.
Saugus players wore this decal
on their helmets in memory
Classy move.
A Saugus JV coach led us in a prayer
before the game
Classy move.
Captains Out
RB Fernando Takacs carried the ball
20 times for 155 yards and 2 TDs
Joey DeVera makes a big catch
on a fake punt play
This is NOT the time or place
for a stretch as Fernando runs by
QB Ruben Soria had a great game
12 for 15 passing, 229 yards, 2 TDs
10 carries, 81 yards, 2 TDs
More Fernando
WR Ian Albaeck on another fake punt
7 catches, 151 yards, 1 TD
Soria turns the corner
Logan Popok was wide open
on this 32 yard TD grab
Two TOUGH running backs
After the JV Panthers' 42-18 victory that improved our record to 2-0 on the campaign, Laurie took this picture of running back Fernando Takacs with his Saugus Centurion counterpart.
If you like old-school, hard nosed football, then you would have loved watching these two young men compete today.
Never mix Stripes and Argyles
Diego Renteria was a player on our Rio Mesa H.S. Spartan football teams many years ago. He is giving back to the game as he continues to develop into an extremely good official.
Fernado Takacs earned the Game Hammer
Alberto takes one last picture
with the JV Panthers after the game
Alberto and his Army
After our JV game, Alberto got the full Friday Night Lights experience as a fan in a packed, crazy house during the Varsity game.
Final score of the Varsity game saw the Panthers winning 26-14.
On Saturday, it was time for NCAA Division I mania!
First stop,
Virginia Cavaliers
vs.
UCLA Bruins
at Pasadena's Rose Bowl
12:30 p.m. Kickoff
Korren FitzGerald invited us to their
tailgate party on a HOT morning
Alberto was dressed properly for the UCLA game.
Parking was NOT cheap!
We're going in!
The tunnel leading us to . . .
. . . our seats
The Bruins warming up
Alberto was more interested in the
cheerleaders' warm up
Here Come the Bruins!!!
Battling
Virginia, in white, on Offense
After watching 18 year old, Freshman QB Josh Rosen tear Virginia apart in UCLA's 34-16 victory, we made two quick stops.
First was to that great Pasadena dining spot, The Hat, for a quick pastrami sandwich before heading on to my Mother's home so that she could say goodbye to Alberto before he returns to Spain.
We also took time at the stop at The Hat to buy Alberto another t-shirt as his UCLA powered blue shirt would be problematic at our next venue . . .
Arkansas State Red Wolves
vs.
USC Trojans
at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
8:00 p.m. Kickoff
Alberto with a Heisman Trophy
Tommy Trojan in the background
At the Coliseum's iconic Peristyle End
Home of the Trojans
Peristyle End view from our seats
Once inside, Alberto bought a USC
t-shirt to fit in with the crowd
It turns out that Alberto is more neutral than the Swiss.
Just prior to the Kickoff
In a lackluster performance, USC defeated an outmanned Arkansas State squad 55-6.
It had been a long, hot day and we mutually agreed to leave the USC game at halftime.
Five games in three days was grueling!
One last In-N-Out experience
He was hungry
His choices were
two Double-Doubles, Animal style,
an order of French fries and
a DIET Coke
During the course of the three months living with us, Alberto gained nine pounds. He claims that it was nine pounds of muscles.
In a recreation, we see Alberto
with the backpack and a small, white
carry-on bag
These two small items carried everything that he brought for his three month stay in California.
Leaving for Spain on Wednesday
For the trip back to Murcia, Spain, Alberto still had his backpack but had to enlist the use of a bigger carry-on and a full sized suitcase, both filled to capacity (over capacity?), to carry back all of his new swag!
The economy of California was truly happy to have had Alberto spending money in the USA these last three months.
As for Laurie and I, we enjoyed having Alberto with us this Summer and hope that his journey was as exciting as he hoped it would be.
