This guy never played high school football…but hey, he did write for the “Knights Banner”
By Tim Peterson
What other sport is there where you have to work out for a couple of hours in triple digit temperatures while wearing a helmet and a full set of body armor?
Sure, baseball is played in the summer (mostly on the professional level) and sometimes the thermometer will hit 100 but you’re playing in a cotton uniform and a baseball cap. And you can relax after three outs every few minutes for seven or even nine innings.
In football you’re playing in searing heat while wearing full head gear and pads without continuous breaks. It can be brutal. Make no mistake, football is survival of the fittest.
Saturday was a good example of that as Cal was out at Dick Torres Stadium at Pioneer High School in heat that felt more like 105.
“Well you’ll never have to practice in that type of heat again,” Cal head coach Kyle Trudell encouraged his troops after practice. “You played in it and you survived.”
Coaches will tell you that games in December are won in the heat of August. And if you survive July and August you’ll make it to December.
As far as Cal goes, the Condors have good size along the lines and some quality skill players. Their overall numbers are solid as well. A third place team in the Del Rio last year, Cal looks like a team ready to take that next step.
Do I like La Serna as the league favorite? Based on history yes and there’s nothing that says the Lancers will fall off in 2015. Margarito Beltran says they have been working hard and are ready to compete.
Jonathan Ceballos looks like the guy that will replace Enrique Pacheco at quarterback. He has a nice target to throw to in another Jonathan – Wise – who had close to 600 yards receiving a year ago.
Anthony Garcia (693yards rushing, 300 yards receiving) is back as well.
It’s hard to bet against the Lancers. Remember this is a team that beat St. Francis last year in the playoffs before falling to Southeast champion Crescenta Valley by only three.
Not hearing much out of Santa Fe…
We’re already taking heat for having La Mirada number three in our very early Southeast Division Top 10. Is three that high? Well last year we had them number one so there you go.
The most interesting teams in the Southeast might be the ones not in our Top 10. Muir, Burroughs, Harvard Westlake, Dominguez, Paramount, Bellflower, Mayfair and Norwalk all didn’t make the cut. These are all potential playoff teams. When was the last time Muir wasn’t in a preseason Top 10?
And really, what’s up with El Rancho? I’m getting mixed messages. Is it still true that you haven’t been hit until you’ve been hit by the Ranch?
That’s my principle.
Tim can be reached at tim@midvalleysports.com or on Twitter @tspeterson40.
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