Go Jaguars!

Garnet Valley High School football
We have been having a lot of fun the last couple of years attending the Garnet Valley high school football games. We started going semi-regularly when Julia was in 7th and 8th grades because her friends were going and she wanted to be a part of things. Grace grudgingly went along, and wasn't all that interested, but then realized that some of her friends were going with their families too, and then it became OK. It helps that the team has been good (as has been the marching band).

Julia's Spirit squad w/GVHS Cheerleaders, 11/1/13

This year, Julia is in high school, and some of her friends are in the band, or are cheerleaders, and she wants to go all the time. I think we made every home game this year except one. In addition to bringing back good memories of my own, it has been a lot of fun this year. The team has been fantastic, going 9-0 and winning the Central League, and going 10-0 overall. We are the number one seed in the District playoffs. GV scored a total of 381 points and allowed only 102, making the average game score 38-10. Most of the games have been substantially over by half time, and some of them by the end of the 1st quarter. We typically see the first half and then stay to watch the marching bands' halftime shows, and then leave (the games generally being about 30-0 or 30-7 at this point). Also, once a year, Julia's Spirit squad of cheerleaders gets to stand on the sidelines with the high school cheerleaders for a half and participate; Julia always loves that.

November 8, 2013 - Garnet Valley 35, Council Rock North 21
Last night in the 40 degree chill, we hosted the #16 seed, Council Rock North. CR started with the ball and moved it on us pretty well (which is rare) but didn't score. It was 7-0 good guys by the end of the quarter, and 14-0 a couple minutes into the second quarter. Our offense was good early but then got sluggish. It was 21-0 in the 3rd quarter when we gave up a 97 yard TD drive keyed by a lot of 7-8 yard short passes and a bunch of uncharacteristically dumb penalties by our defense. We didn't score in response, and then gave up an 80 yard TD run to the opposing QB. Suddenly it was 21-14 and we were back on our heels near the end of the 3rd quarter. The group of us sitting together wondered how the team would respond to the adversity, not having been challenged much late in games all year. At this point I have to admit that the kids were freezing despite being bundled up, and wanted to go home, which we did. I hated leaving early this time as it was a very good game, and the outcome was still in doubt. The rest of the results came by text message from our friends who stayed. Early in the 4th, as we were leaving, we had gotten the ball back and were starting to drive. We scored soon after to make it 28-14, then again to go up 35-14 effectively putting the game away. With only a few minutes left in the game, CR scored once more to get to the final of 35-21, but the game was out of reach by that point. We ended up scoring around our usual number of points, but gave up way more than normal, and the game was closer later than had happened all year. Our first string offense (missing a key running back) struggled moving the ball consistently in the middle part of the game; they are generally a juggernaut (before getting pulled for the second half). But all's well that ends well, and it is the playoffs after all...

Next week, Garnet Valley vs Abington, details TBD.