A "Memorable" Mahopac Scrimmage

I stopped by my old high school today to watch the Mahopac Indians go through a multi-team scrimmage against Somers, Our Lady of Lourdes, Nyack, and the co-op known as Yonkers Force.

Yonkers Brave (another co-op, whom Mahopac will play in their opener next Friday night) had equipment issues and couldn't participate.

Just as with calling baseball, it was a surreal thing. This is the patch of land I graduated from high school on (it was grass then; it's turf now).

I played pickup football on that field (much to the dismay of, you know, the actual football teams).

I've walked that track and rode my bike on the track (back when you could do that).

Our senior "color day" pictures were taken there, including a group shot in the old wooden bleachers (they're metal now).

I've even called two games from there: sectional finals football games featuring Rye and Harrison (when WGCH cared about such things...ah, memories).

Those games, sadly, do not exist because 'GCH used cassettes for recording back then (it was 2004). True story: we had no cassettes.

We went digital in 2005. Thankfully.

I had not been back to Mahopac for any football activity since then, until today.

I enjoyed watching the teams compete while looking the facility over, including the press box (which is also new from the last time I was there).

I spoke with Pac head football coach Dominick DeMatteo after the game and even ran into him and his son Anthony as I grabbed a sandwich a few minutes later. I'm happy to report they're fans of Robcasting and of my work, and we're very hopeful that we can link up with Local Live to make me the...er...Mahopac football broadcaster for a number of games. In fact, if it works out, I'll call the famed Mahopac/Carmel football rivalry for the first time, having called it in baseball and hockey.

Quick side note about Coach DeMatteo: he totally gets it. Along with Athletic Director (and former baseball coach when I was at MHS) Frank Miele, he's getting the word out about Mahopac athletics and supporting all of the teams. That's how he came to know me because he listened to me calling Pac baseball.

I've called Rye/Harrison and Darien/New Canaan several times. Calling Mahopac/Carmel would be special indeed.

We're also going to look into putting the audio on Robcasting.

I was glad to go today to not only meet Coach DeMatteo, who frankly comes from high school football royalty in New York. But I'm also thrilled to get some of the nostalgia out of my system. The memories obviously flooded me as I walked around.

First base is where that high grass is. I played there a few times.

Nearby, next to adjacent Mahopac Middle School, is the former varsity baseball field.

It's also the field that I played a lot of games on in the Mahopac Sports Association. It matters not even a little (though it does to me), but I won two championships on that field, in 1984 and 1986.

It's not something you'll find in any newspaper, but those details are embedded in my mind. I also recognize it's as relevant as Al Bundy remembering throwing four touchdown passes in a single game for Polk High against Andrew Johnson on Married with Children.

So I'll spare you those details.

Touched home plate to win a title here in '86.
Please note that Mahopac varsity baseball has played down the hill at Mahopac Falls School for over 30 years.

It was nice to just walk around, enjoy the day, and watch football for the second day in a row, just as I did yesterday at Greenwich High, where I saw the Cardinals and Bruins -- two teams whose games I expect to be calling again in 2019.

So I'm anxious.

Mahopac starts next Friday. GHS and 'Wick start after that.

I'm ready. Now we have to nail down the schedule.