Football in March looks the same on the field, but there are some differences off it

Portola players charge out onto the field Thursday for a Pacific Coast League game. (Photos Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone)

Thursday’s pre-game setting at Tustin High was much like any other fall high school football game.

Only this one was played in March, part of the abbreviated schedule altered by a world-wide pandemic that affected so many lives. Football players had to wait about eight months to do what they love to do.

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Now, they’re playing when the Sweet 16 of the NCAA basketball tournament is taking place and Major League baseball is about to start.

On this chilly night, Beckman High seniors took part in a spirited senior day ceremony cheered on by their head coach Marcello Giiuliano.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, Coach Peter Abe’s Portola Bulldogs charged onto the field at Tustin, fired up for the nonleague game, the second for both teams and cheered on by a small contingent of fans bundled up on a chilly night.

The game went off without a hitch …… but there were definitely some differences between football in March and football in August, or September, October, November or December,

There were fewer fans, as in all the games this year limited to immediate family members of players and cheerleaders.

Fans were required to wear masks at all times but weren’t allowed to bring concessions, including water, into the facility. There were no concessions sold.

We got to hear a Beckman pep band capably entertain the fans, but we didn’t get to hear the outstanding marching band that regulary delivers an entertaining halftime show.

The cheerleaders from both teams were there, all wearing masks, rooting on their teams.

Reporters, including this one, were required to wear masks, including for post-game interviews. Personally, we’re grateful to be covering football again even with sometimes fogged up glasses and we know many of our colleagues are too.

In the end, there was enough of what high school football is all about to make this another successful night, regardless of who won the game. There was intense competition from both teams, some big offensive, some big defensive stops and plenty of excitement.

For the record, Beckman defeated Portola 27-7 to even its record at 1-1.

None of this could have been made possible without the diligence of coaches, athletic directors, athletic trainers, parents and many others but it appears the goals of providing positive experiences for football players have been reached. Through all the ups and downs, the mission has been accomplished successfully. So far, there have been relatively few cancellations due to positiive coronavirus case numbers among players. And the fans we saw were having a good time Thursday.

“One thing we’ve already accomplished is sticking together as a team, our seniors hung around,” said Giuliano, the Beckman coach. “We’ve already accomplished the hard part emotionally of sticking it out this long and just the ability to be able to play together is amazing.

“Now, obviously we have a three-game league season and we have three really good teams at the end of our bracket but our goal is to go out and try and win them.”

Abe’s Portola players have a lot of pride too, and they want to win a league title. Abe, who has extra responsibility because he is also one of those athletic directors, said the team needs to regroup and be ready for the first league game next Friday vs. Northwood.

“LIke we told the guys, you got to get back and look at the film and learn from your mistakes and try to get after it in week one of league (vs. Northwood at home),” Abe said.

Portola is grouped in the Pacific Hills League with Laguna Hills, Dana Hills and Northwood. Beckman is in the Pacific Valley League with University, Woodbridge and Irvine. The changes were made after Laguna Hills and Dana Hills joined the league, now called the Pacific Coast Conference.

—Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com