Prior to combat on the field at Calaveras High School last Saturday, members of cross-county rival teams from Amador and Argonaut posed together as friends. Photo by: Courtesy to the Ledger Dispatch Bearing no grudges, Amador High School's defensive lineman Steve Adkins, in Amador blue, stands shoulder-to-shoulder with friendly Argonaut High School opponents John Hardy, left, Josh Roberts and Brendan Drake. photo courtesy of cheryl waxe Photo by: Courtesy to the Ledger Dispatch

What began as an amiable reunion of enthusiastic former members of Amador County's two high school football teams quickly turned into a one-sided rout as the Argonaut Mustangs socred early and often. By halftime, the score in last Sunday's alumni game was 28-0 and the final score was a decisive 55-6.

Much to the credit of the young men who took the field in 106-degree heat, wearing full uniforms, no injuries were reported, as only egos were bruised.

"Argonaut absolutely creamed Amador," was how Cheryl Waxe, mother of Amador player Steve Adkins, put it in reporting on the game.

Waxe's report had only one Amador highlight - an early third-quarter touchdown that resulted from an Argonaut fumble.

With Amador's team in the middle of a transition to new coach Bill Baker, official involvement was not available. This was definitely not the case on the Argonaut side.

"It was an honor to be on the sidelines with so many of my former players," said Argonaut football coach Rick Davis, "watching them work together and enjoy the great game of football once again. The camaraderie of these alumni was apparent in every play. They supported each other and played for one another. They were truly 'Mustang Family.'"

"It was a really fun game," Davis said later, as he ran through a litany of names of players who made significant contributions during the game.

"Garrett Carney gave us a great start," he began. "Joe Pent, Jake Schneider, Neil Williamson, John Hardy, Brendan Drake, Brian Farran, Rodney Moniz, Jeremy Fisher, Seth Seever, Sjon Hammers, Josh Roberts, Danny Smalley, Steven Rullhausen, Carson Yager, Chris Barnes, Kyle Fritz, Greg Bower, Chris Skowronski, Joe White, Beau Gillman, Marcus Yep, Jack Kennedy, Andy Clinkenbeard - it was like a highlight reel the whole night."

"We had a real all-star defensive team that shut Amador down," Davis concluded.

Amador's Gilchrist brothers were spoken of in reverent tones by Davis, Waxe and others, but nothing was going to stem the Argonaut tide.

These games don't happen often. Amador coach Baker recalls playing in the last game. That was in 1994.