After a break, Portola football players begin preparations for a more normal season

Coach Peter Abe leads the Bulldogs during a practice in February. (FIle photo courtesy Portola football).

After a break from an abbreviated high school football season that concluded in March, Portola High has begun summer workouts under coach Peter Abe in preparation for its season opener on Friday, Aug. 20 against Woodbridge.

Portola captured a share of the Pacific Hills League title in March with Laguna Hills and Dana Hills.

“The summer goals are to continue general football skill development, position evaluation/competition, establish the tempo/sense of urgency needed to be successful in the Fall, physical conditioning, strength training, build team camaraderie, and reinforce our program’s PEDIGREE values,” Portola football coach and athletic director Peter Abe said Monday.

“We took some time off after the season for players and coaches to recover and get rejuvenated before getting things moving again for the 2021 season. We were able to get into the weight room the last five weeks of school for strength training fundamentals and lifting education, then kicked off summer camp after a couple week break once school let out.”

The high school football season, orginally scheduled to begin in August, was delayed until March due to the coronavirus pandemic but high school sports is expected to return to a normal schedule in August. CIF Southern Section Commissioner Rob Wigod noted last week there will not be the traditional summer dead period for teams this summer.

 “The 2020-21 season was a long haul for everyone, and we wanted to provide time for staff/students to not only compete in multiple sports, which we highly value, we wanted to prevent overuse injuries that could result from not strategically incorporating rest/recovery time after such a long time prepping/playing the game through the pandemic,” Abe said.

“Regardless of not having the mandatory CIF dead period this year, having some time off not only helped to recharge some batteries, it also allowed time for some players to hit the reset button on college entrance exam preparation, prospect/recruiting camps or trips they might have missed out on last summer, and just enjoying some time with family and friends they might not have seen the past 15 months.

“After getting camp going again June 21st, I feel like we were all away long enough to find that fire again to push the pace once again toward our goal.  We will go for about five weeks (with a modified spring season still fresh in our minds), then take some time off again before the start of the ‘Dawg Days’ of summer and fall camp in August. We are returning about half our starters, and with some talented new faces also in the mix, we are both encouraged and excited to see what the Bulldogs can do in 2021.”

Portola captured the Pacific Coast League title in 2020.

Among the top players returning for Portola are Nova Kebeli, a senior running back who was the offensive MVP of the year in the Pacific Hills League last season.

Portola begins with a week zero game against Woodbridge and has a bye in the first week of October.

2021 PORTOLA SCHEDULE

Friday, Aug. 20, vs. Woodbridge (H)

Friday, Aug. 27, at Riverside Prep

Friday, Sept. 3, Cerritos at Gahr High

Friday, Sept. 10, Katella (H)

Friday, Sept. 17, Beckman (H)

Friday, Sept. 24, Northwood (tentative at Portola)

Friday, Oct. 8, at University

Friday, Oct. 15, at Laguna Hills

Friday, Oct. 22, vs. Irvine (H)

Friday, Oct. 29, Dana Hills (H)

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