Jester's Court
Hardworking Ranger gridders inspire journalistic meltdown
By Jesse Phelps

Well, this may be the death knell for my budding journalistic career, but I've got to admit the stone-cold truth. All sense of professional decorum and journalistic integrity left me, blown away on a stout Ojai breeze last Friday night when the Nordhoff varsity football team beat Oaks Christian to win the Tri-Valley League title.

There I was, sprinting down the sideline and yelling, "Go baby go!" like I was at Santa Anita, as Will Strong scored the winning touchdown, completing the unlikely comeback. (I swear I kept up with him pretty well.)

There I was, questioning an official about what I wanted to believe was a bad penalty call, because, darnit, I didn't want to see a season's worth of tremendous effort wasted on a blown whistle. (I nearly got thrown out - that hasn't happened since the last reggae show I attended.)

And there I was, getting chills as the coach told me how proud he was of his boys for pulling though, and experiencing their joy as the guys told me after the game that this was the best feeling they'd ever experienced.

Why did I lose my composure, you may ask? Because these guys deserved it. Because Max Thomas and Andy Doyle mangled their legs in pursuit of it. Because their teammates refused to believe they were out of it, down their two leading receivers (and defensive backs) and 15 points in the third quarter.

This Ranger team is special. It's a team led verbally in the locker room by a lineman and by example on the field by a junior running back. They're not that fast. They're not that big. They're running a new offensive system and they lost their first game of the year.

But they haven't lost since because they are smart and they have a whole heck of a lot of heart. Not giving up is one thing. But to truly believe that you can overcome the types of obstacles they have is a rare quality.

And they have class. They take the time to call the newspaper and give a writer props for a well-written story. How rare is that?

So, shamelessly, I admit they have won me over. From here on out I pledge not to impede the officials and I will try my darndest not to look like a jackass on the sidelines. But silently, I'll continue to root them on as far as they can go.

Minus two of their top threats, the playoffs won't be easy. Still, somehow, I think they'll find a way to keep the momentum. Heck, since that season-opening road loss to perennial power Moorpark, no obstacle has stopped them yet.

© 2003 The Ojai Valley News

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