Checkin’ in from Mission Viejo-De La Salle

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I’ve arrived at my old stomping grounds here at Mission Viejo High, where the Diablos are getting set to take on De La Salle, the state’s third-ranked team.

I’m sitting in the De La Salle stands, sporting my Oakland A’s cap from my son’s T-ball team last year. Just so happens the Spartans and the A’s have similar colors.

The guy sitting to my left is a closet Mission Viejo fan who didn’t want to sit on the Mission side of the field because of the crowds. I’d expose him but he remembers me from 10 years ago, when our sons played on the same Little League team.

On my right is a guy with sunglasses and a fatique-colored jacket who sat down and began videorecording. He got kinda nervous when I told him he ‘looked covert’ and asked who he was scouting for. He said, ‘nobody, just a fan.’ He then hands me a business card for another recruiting service. Just a fan, huh? He didn’t even know Mission Viejo offensive lineman Jeff Baca had committed to UCLA. Maybe he’s just looking at underclassmen.

Speaking of Baca, I met his ultra-nice parents, Arlene and Justin, at a tailgate party on the way in. I couldn’t get a prediction out of either one, but Arlene could have worked for a recruiting service the way she pitched Mission Viejo linebacker/tight end Corbin Davis.

They were about to fire up a state-of-the-art BBQ, but I declined their kind offer for a burger. I can see how Jeff got to be 6-foot-4 and 275 pounds though.

I did get a prediction from Toni Mascarenas, former Garden Grove Pacifica and Arizona softball star. She was tailgating next to the Baca’s and confidently announced that Mission Viejo would win, 31-30, and her brother, Mission Viejo defense back Alex Mascarenas, would score a defensive touchdown.

I’ll see if I can round up a prediction from a DLS fan, but that’ll be tough to beat.

- Dan Arritt