No pumpkins for Hillcrest

Hillcrest Football has returned from the the big bash without turning into pumpkins! They, in the stretch of a few months have turned from an 'ugly stepsister' football team that every other school scheduled them for their homecoming game so that they would have a sure win, to a State Championship Team that every team hated to play. The Hillcrest Knights won the State Championship Friday night defeating a quality team from Jerome, and in doing so, set and equaled many state records as well. It was a night to remember. A true Cinderella story.

If anyone were to pitch this story to Hollywood, they would be laughed out of town. This story is too unbelievable even for fiction. A team, winless in two seasons; a team that couldn't manage to score more points than the girl's soccer team last season; a team that was completely demoralized and beaten; that team, in one season, turned everything around, lost only one game and managed to win the State Championship! What an unbelievable accomplishment. They are the first varsity football team in the history of Hillcrest to ever win a state championship. Hats off to the young men on that team. They now have established a winning tradition for Hillcrest Football that will live on for many years. I mentioned in a previous post that the Freshman team were undefeated this season, so Hillcrest should dominate for the next few years.

I won't go into details of the game, other than to say Jerome came out in their spread offense, passing nearly every down, and established a good sized lead early on. But, Hillcrest showed heart and determination and fought back to a 12 to 12 point tie at half time. But, in the third quarter, Hillcrest found an answer to Jerome's passing game and were able to shut them down a couple of times, just enough leverage for the powerhouse Hillcrest running game to take over the game. Jerome couldn't find an answer to Hillcrest's double wing offense and Hillcrest just kept grinding out the yards, finding huge holes in the Jerome defense and scoring continually the second half. The final score was 55 to 35, as I remember. Hillcrest threw one pass for an interception. Passing just isn't what Hillcrest is about. They just run opposing teams into the ground. It was an awesome sight to see. What a game!!!

Ok, so much for the sports news, now on to the cultural side of the family. Katie finishes her run in the Gondoliers tonight. We will be attending the gala affair tonight, joining the other patrons of the arts at the Center for Performing Arts at Hillcrest. Katie's Musical Theater class was volunteered to be the chorus in the play, much to the chagrin of the students as the rehearsals have been many and long, keeping them from a variety of school activities such as the Championship game, dances, and home work. The latter not missed as much as the former.

We look forward to watching Katie, as well as the play, which has many favorite songs such as "Oars on The Water", Gondoliers Wear Funny Shirts", the ever popular sea shanty, "You Vomit on My Shoes?" , and of course, "Tassels Away". Who hasn't whistled these popular tunes, or had the words run through their heads, over and over again? Even if the songs are in Italian and one hasn't the slightest of ideas what the heck is going on, the theater goer can still sit back and bask in the ambiance of a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta, knowing they are soaking up culture with every note. And who doesn't want to soak up culture? I'm a culture sponge. Culture flies at me from every corner, sometimes hitting me square in the eyes or ears, leaving bloody scars as it inculcates into my soul. I'm blinded by its brilliance, deafened by its cacophony. So, I'll attend tonight's performance somewhat blind and deaf, but tuned in and excited!!!