One writer is from the East Coast. The other from the West. One is all of 22. The other more than double his age at 47. But the two MaxPreps writers do share some jabs heading into Friday's Southern Section showdown between Orange County (Calif.) rivals that is expected to draw more than 20,000 fans at Angels Stadium in Anaheim.
ANAHEIM, Calif.
Steve Spiewak: Greetings from just outside the Happiest Place on Earth. As a New Jersey native, I've always thought any place that has a Parkway exit or that serves cheese steak as pretty divine.
Mitch Stephens: So you'd pick cheese whiz over Mickey Mouse's "gee whiz?"
SS: I didn't say that. Disneyland has been great. I have to admit though that I've spent 50 percent of the rest of my time trying to land an interview with Mater Dei quarterback Matt Barkley and the other 50 percent trying to escape the ruckus of a first grade track and field sprint team that's apparently practicing in the outdoor hallway right outside of my hotel room.
MS: Sorry for the brush off and headaches, my friend, but as a Hollywood-born boomer myself, welcome to the anything goes world of La-La land.
SS: Thanks, but right now the only thing I wish that would go is those kids outside my room. Ouch.
MS: Officially, you're outside of LA, backstroking downstream through the crystal clear artery of the O.C., better known as suburbia USA. Mickey and Goofy may reign but you're also just a slap shot away from our nation's best professional ice hockey team, the Ducks. Go figure. That's like a Bassmaster winner from Death Valley or an oracle champion from say, `Jersey. It's not at all surprising that three of the country's top high school football teams - Mater Dei (Santa Ana), Servite (Anaheim) and Lutheran (Orange) - run smack dab in surf county. We're lucky to get to see two of them - rivals Servite and Mater Dei - face off on Friday. So what do you think?
SS: Well, old man Stephens, if having a name as cool as D.J. Shoemate is directly proportional to on-the-field success, then expect the super Servite athlete to have a big game. The 6-foot, 221-pound senior has followed a blueprint for many successful SoCal football players: overcome major adversity through extremely hard work and then give Pete Carroll an early Christmas present. He promised the USC coach that he's headed to Trojan-land next fall. From what I hear, Mater Dei is blessed with Shoemate-like talent as well.
MS: Well, young grasshopper, I'm not sure anyone can match the overall do-anything, play-anywhere skill as Shoemate. But from what I saw of Barkley last month against Centennial (Corona) he might pull a LeBron, hand Carroll and every other college coach a "free pass" card and catapult right to the NFL. I mean, the kid is the best looking high school quarterback I've seen in my "old age" and he's only a junior. With a massive and talented offensive line - they've allowed just two sacks all year - no matter what problems Shoemate or super Servite lineman Matt Kalil present, I'm thinking the Monarchs are harmonizing those `Jersey "Boss" lyrics: "no retreat, no surrender."
SS: Strategy aside, my biggest pre-game issue is my severe case of UWGDTTF (Unfamiliarity With Games Drawing Twenty Thousand Fans). Apparently I'm not alone. Alert MaxPreps.com reader David Openhouse e-mailed me earlier this week. He's from the Northeast, and suffers not only from UWGDTTF but also CBTGAAS (Can't Believe The Game is At Angels Stadium). Can you shed some light on the type of atmosphere to expect? I'm sure you've covered every Mater Dei/Servite game since the times of feather pens and papyrus. Does this game feel special?
MS: When 20,000 Southern Californian gather for anything - especially on a Friday night - it must be rather special. For one thing, "Deal or No Deal" battles "Men in Trees" on the networks. On top of that, there are roughly 300 other high school games - which is as many or more than 90 percent of other states - taking place at the same time in the Southern/Los Angeles Sections alone.
SS: So what makes this game more special than the other 300?
MS: Though I've dabbled with feathered pens and traveled to games in horse and buggy, I've never actually witnessed a Mater Dei-Servite bonanza. I caught the game-winning play from last year's game on You Tube, your generation's answer to the encyclopedia. I guess that link alone makes this a big game though a bigger deal is the "Monarchs for Marines" cause that in nine months has generated more than $100,000. Bottom line, though Mater Dei has dominated the series lately, I expect this to be a game much like last season with the Monarchs prevailing. What do you expect?
SS: I'll play the role of rebellious teenager and go with Servite. But before I go get a tattoo that I'll regret later in life and stay out past curfew, I must say that it's been a blast experiencing Southern California. Where else can you say that the most accurate perspective on life in a given place is the view of break lights during rush hour traffic? That sea of red on Interstate 5 will probably be outdone Friday night by the sea of Monarch red in Angels Stadium. Nevertheless, I like the Friars because I expect D.J. to take over the game much like M.J. and be a bigger story in Southern California than O.J.
MS: Wow, SoCal has brought out the rapper in you. Indeed, Shoemate has the capability to go off as he did in a huge win over Lutheran last month when he rushed for 242 yards and three scores and also recorded a sack, forced a fumble and then recovered it to set up his own game-winning TD. But Edison hasn't beaten Mater Dei in 20 seasons. The odds favor the Friars but Mater Dei, coming off a humbling loss to Lutheran, is re-focused and just too deep and balanced. Traits not often associated with Southern Californians such as myself.