Portola Bulldogs excited about ‘closest thing to actual football practice’ since 2019

Head coach Peter Abe leads Portola during the first day of full practice Friday. (Photo courtesy Portola football)

Portola High School’s football team, which captured its first Pacific Coast League title in 2019, got in some serious preparations Friday in its first day in full pads, according to Coach Peter Abe.

“Great day of practice,” Abe said. “The Bulldogs were excited to get after it again.”

It was the first day that Orange County football squads could practice in full pads. Up until Friday, only conditioning drills were allowed. Teams that play a six-game scheduled will start their seasons on Friday, March 12.

The Bulldogs are getting ready to start an abbreviated league schedule when they host University on Friday, March 12.

On Friday, the intensity picked up under sunny skies.

“Today, the focus was to get back into the rhythm of a Bulldog practice …. re-establishing our expected tempo,” Abe said. “When/where do we need focused urgency and great listening skill and when/where are we looking to push the pace?

“It felt great to actually have what was the closest thing we’ve seen to actual football practice since November 2019.”

The Portola team followed all safety guidelines established by the California Department of Public Health and the CIF.

“We have temperature checks and a self assessment survey done at least 30 minutes before every practice,” Abe said. “Coaches were in masks throughout and players put on masks and distance when they’re not in the drill/game.”

—Tim Burt, timburt@ocsportszone.com