Those unsung, cheerful decorators
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How many cheerleaders does it take to put 46 banners around a football field?
No, this isn’t a dumb-blonde joke, it’s something I noticed before Fridays game between Westlake and Newbury Park. About half a dozen Panther cheerleaders were in what appeared to be an endless struggle with the wind to put up banners all around the field.
Actually, this endless struggle lasted only about an hour, but I felt sorry for them as it took at least two or three of them to put up one banner because the wind just didn’t share their school spirit.
So NP fans, don’t take for granted having the best game decorations of any school I’ve seen this year. There’s at least half a dozen or so cheerleaders who made all the balloons and crepe paper you see a reality.
As for the game itself, NP leads, 13-10, at halftime thanks to Colby Cameron’s and Chris Brown’s (he has 104 yards rushing at the half) efforts on a great-looking drive late in the second quarter. Of course, they got a little help from a 16-yard pass interference penalty called against Westlake and a 22-yard TD reception by WR Danny Diefenthaler also helped.
The Warriors jumped to a 10-7 lead after RB Cooper Shockley busted off a 15-yard TD run mid way through the second quarter. Here’s a weird factoid: Kicker Jordan Mannisto has missed two field goals. But, I’ll cut him a break since I couldn’t hit a 48 or 55-yarder if my life depended on it.
Until that last NP scoring run, I was really impressed with Westlake’s defense, especially DL Kolaan Busbice and DB Steve Hagy.
LB Chance Flaaten (great linebacker name) has also had a great night. He’s been putting constant pressure on Westlake QB Nick Owens and on offense, has had a couple of third-down carries for first downs.
- Austin Knoblauch
