Duel in the Desert Sun Middle School Soccer Game

Monday, April 22, 2024

With Kevin off to school, we spent our morning lounging about in the Contreras family desert compound much to our delight.

Of course, it was not all fun and games as I had work to do in my roll as the Varese Skorpions Video Analyst Coach.

The IFL's Battle of the Undefeated, Ancona Dolphins (5-0) at Varese Skorpions (5-0), is looming just two weeks ahead, thus, I spent most of my morning breaking down two of the Dolphins game videos vs. the Lazio Marines and the Bologna Warriors, via the miracle of the HUDL app.

I was then able to add those two breakdowns to the other three Ancona games that I had worked on in past weeks to come up with a series of cut-ups for every down and distance, pass and run and field situation that Varese Head Coach Nick Holt had requested at the start of this venture last year.

When it was all said and done, I sent all of the Skorpion players and coaches ten Kicking Game, 30 Offensive and 31 Defensive cut-ups of what the Dolphins have done this season in virtually every football situation that you can imagine.

Laborious but it is actually fun, keeps me mentally in the game and off of the mean streets of Camarillo and Las Vegas.

Finally, it was time.

We packed into the car and headed to today's much anticipated Canarelli Middle School Colts soccer game. 

The venue for the Duel in the Desert

Faiss Middle School

Home of the Flyers

When the two schools met on April 2nd at Canarelli M.S., the Colts dominated 9-0.

Grandson Kevin takes the field under

the watchful eye of his dapper coach

Nice touch by the coach providing shade for one of his players, it was a balmy, breezy 89°F at the start of the 5:15 pm game.

Kevin played well over half the game today as a defender. 

Chasing down the ball with

GIANT #15 in pursuit

Getting into the quintessential, athletic

Quarter Eagle stance on the move

 

Showing off his soccer skills . . .

. . . with this pass

Sprinting to get the ball out of

the defensive end of the field

This could be problematic

Kevin would battle with the

Flyers #15 most of the game

Racing to the ball

Good recovery Kevin!

On the move again

At the Halftime break, the highly skilled Colts were cruising with a 7-0 lead.

The battle for the ball continued

in earnest in the Second Half

Despite the score, both clubs admirably played a highly spirited game in the Second Half.

He continued to pester . . .

. . . the Flyers at every turn

WHAT A VERTICAL JUMP!

For me, this was Kevin's best moment

The Colts back-up Goalie had just allowed the Flyers a goal and was despondent.

Kevin was the only Colt to take the time to go over and console him to keep his spirits up.

Being a good person and great teammate are such important attributes that sports can both help build and reveal.

One-on-One with #15 again

Kevin stole the ball . . .

. . . but at a price . . .

. . . DOWN GOES KEVIN!

No harm done but it was properly called a foul. The Flyer showed good sportsmanship in helping Kevin up, the contact was incidental in my opinion.

Booting the ball down the field

Different Flyer, same problem, STOP HIM!

I'm loving Kevin's teammates hairstyle

If I had hair, it would be my look too.

Outsized but gaining position

to the elusive ball

Lots of running today in search

of his 10,000 daily steps

Two-on-One

Didn't all of the great Running Backs

at Syracuse wear #44?

Successfully deflecting a final

goal attempt by the Flyers

The Colts improved to 7-3-1 on the year after beating the Flyers, 8-2.

After the game, the Colts Coach singled out only one athlete, Kevin, for " . . . playing with great heart today."

AWESOME!

It was a GREAT DAY TO BE A COLT, so there was only one thing left to do.

Mexican Food for Dinner!

Roberto's serves the absolute best adobada wet burrito in the greater Pacific Southwest.

It was the perfect way to end a perfect day of soccer.

It's great being a grandparent!

Weekend American Football Updates

Sunday, April 21, 2024

Is there a better way to start a Sunday than with a great Brunch with dear friends?

Nope!

So we drove down to Pasadena's Granville Restaurant to meet with Joanne and Paul Sabolić and Susan and Michael D'Antuono to share a meal and catch up on everyone's latest shenanigans.

Joanne had discovered the Granville in North Hollywood when Paul and I joined her for a delicious meal before the El Camino Real H.S. at North Hollywood H.S. football game last Fall. We had so much fun that a few weeks later Laurie joined the three of us for another attack on the Granville's extensive menu.

This would be our first time at the Granville's Pasadena location and with the Susan and Michael this time to boot.

We would not be disappointed in the least on this beautiful SoCal Sunday.

The group made an easy decision

We would eat our Brunch family style with each of us picking a different entree to share plus a few extra orders of bacon and bagels.

It was a great idea.

I slipped upstairs for just a moment

Is Paul texting with that woman sitting behind him?

Inquiring minds want to know!

After our nearly two hour, delightful meal it was time to go our separate ways.

As it turned out for us, our way was the Interstate Freeway system to Las Vegas, Nevada to visit Jenn, Andrew and Kevin.

After two hours of driving I

needed to stretch my legs

Eddie's world in fabulous Yermo, California was the natural spot for our break.

Their Rocky Road ice cream was a plus.

Mary would have loved this pink

car charging up at Eddie's World

It would only have been another two hours to Las Vegas from Yermo had it not been for the car fully engulfed in flames by the side of the highway.

We were parked in the fast lane of Interstate 15 for about 20 minutes in 93°F heat waiting for the CHP and local Fire Department to finally get the situation under control and allow the traffic to resume at break neck speeds to Sin City, USA. It certainly could have been longer.

WHAT THE DEUCE?

The long car fire delay forced a second unscheduled stop in Primm, Nevada to use their wondrous restrooms.

This donut shop was full of temptations, my version of Sin City, but we were strong.

We made it to the desert home of the Contreras Clan with no further delays . . .

LET THE BOARD/CARD GAMES BEGIN!

The weekend's football news started off sadly.

The Rams QB of my youth

passed away on Saturday

His son, Rory, was a member of our football teams at Westlake H.S. in the early 1980s.

Of Filipino ancestry and a North Carolina State alum, Roman was a big, tough leader who earned the NFL's MVP Award in 1969 as a Ram.

His remarkable 16 year NFL career saw him drafted #1 by the Rams, second overall in the 1962 NFL draft.

He played 11 seasons with the Rams from 1962-1972 and finished his career with a five year stint as a Philadelphia Eagle from 1973 to 1977.

R.I.P. Roman and condolences to you, Rory, and to all of your family.

On a much happier note

Newbury Park H.S. Sophomore QB, Brady Smigiel, third from the left, reportedly had a great unofficial visit to the University of Washington this weekend.

On the left are UW's QB Coach, Jimmie Dougherty and Huskies' Head Coach Jedd Fisch.

On the right is Seattle Seahawks QB, Gino Smith, who offered to help in getting the Class of 2026' #2 rated QB to commit to Washington.

That would be wonderful to see but there is a lot of time before Smigiel needs to make his decision.

A BIG rivalry/derby game on Saturday

Varese Skorpions at Legnano Frogs

I wonder what the weather would be like for the contest?

10°C/50°F for the 9:00 p.m. kickoff,

SERENE

The Cardiac Skorpions did it again!

Yet another game chock full of Fourth Quarter heroics for our now 5-0 squad.

Three of the club's wins have come by a margin of 15 points total.

The Skorpions now have a bye week before their Battle of the Unbeatens on Sunday, May 5th at home.

The 5-0 Skorpions opponents that

day will be the 5-0 Ancona Dolphins

Italian Football League Standing

Ancona Dolphins 5-0

Varese Skorpions 5-0

Firenze Guelfi 4-1

Parma Panthers 2-2

Legnano Frogs 2-3

Torino Giaguari 2-3

Milano Rhinos 2-4

Lazio Marines 1-4

Bologna Warriors 0-6

Italian Football League Schedule

Sunday, April 28, 2024

Torino Giaguari (2-3) at Parma Panthers (2-2)

Legnano Frogs (2-3) at Lazio Marines (1-4)

BYES:

Ancona Dolphins (5-0), Varese Skorpions (5-0),

Firenze Guelfi (4-1), Milano Rhinos (2-4) and

Bologna Warriors (0-6)

Cool graphics for the Cecina Trappers-

Roma Grizzlies DII Italian League game

 

Bart Iaccarino's Trappers rolled!

In Italian DIII/9FL action . . .

. . . our beloved Catania eked out

another win to remain undefeated

Vicenza Hurricanes vs.

Piacenza Wolverines in another

Italian DIII/9Fl contest

The Wolverines romped!

Let's check in on the Spanish Serie A playoff semifinals . . .

A mild upset

The Western Conference's #2 seeded Las Rozas Black Demons (8-1) enjoyed a good win over the Eastern Conference's #1 seeded Badalona Dracs (8-1).

The Black Demons won their first ever National Championship in Serie A play in 2023.

A tight one

In a much closer game than expected, the Western Conferences's #1 seeded Osos Rivas (8-1) edged out the Eastern Conference's #2 seeded L'Hospitalet Pioners (5-4).

The Osos have won two Serie A National Championships in 2001 and again in 2022.

The Osos and Black Demons split their two Western Conference games this season.

On February 10th, Las Rozas prevailed, 10-6.

The Osos captured the March 23rd rematch, 28-21.

For the third straight year, the Osos and Black Demons will square off against each other for the Serie A National Championship in Spanish Bowl XXX on Saturday, May 4th.

In 2022, the Osos Rivas won Spanish Bowl XXVIII by beating the Black Demons, 28-12.

The Las Rozas club defeated the Osos, 22-13, to bring home the crown in 2023's Spanish Bowl XXIX.

Spain also had a Serie A Relegation game on Sunday.

Someone had to win

The Barcelona Pagesos (1-8) will stay in Serie A in 2024 while the Alcobendas Cavaliers (0-9) will compete in Serie B next Spring.

On to the Central European Football League Tournament where four games were contested . . .

Italy's Firenze Guelfi advanced by

beating Serbia's Belgrade SBB Vukovi

Sweden's Stockholm Mean Machines

had an easy time of it against the

UK's Manchester Titans

Austria's Graz Giants in a close one

over Serbia's Kragujevac Wild Boars

Switzerland's Calanda Broncos

dispatched Denmark's Copenhagen

Towers by a comfortable margin

CEFL Tournament Quarterfinal Schedule

Saturday, May 11, 2024

Sweden's Stockholm Mean Machines at

France's Flash de La Courneuve

Austria's Graz Giants at

France's Thonon Black Panthers

Switzerland's Calanda Broncos at

Italy's Parma Panthers

Italy's Firenze Guelfi at

Austria's Vienna Vikings

Finally, I hope that the net in general and, in this case Facebook, can be believed . . .

A. I hope that you can read the

caption above and

B. I want to believe it in the

worst way

A good day to be sure even if Kevin beat us in a game of Uno.