Only game in town
It was a little before 7 p.m. Friday in Phelan and as soon as the Serrano football players appeared at the edge of their inflatable tunnel, the fans were on their feet.
Soon "Thunderstruck" by AC-DC was pumping out of the Snowline Stadium speakers. The Diamondback fans, even some grandparents, morphed into a heavy-metal frenzy.
Homecoming is big at almost all county schools, but especially at Serrano where the retro feel isn't limited to its choice of musical artists.
In the tri-city mountain area - Phelan, Pinon Hills and Wrightwood - the Diamondbacks are the only game in town. There is no other school, no movie theatre, no family fun center, no skateboard park.
That's why students don't hesitate to actually dress up on dress-up day and why the bonfire rally is still a big deal.
And of course the students turn out in droves for the game, wearing their blue Serrano Diamondback hoodies or - in the case of alumni - sporting their faded blue letterman's jackets with their names embroidered on the back.
Serrano football? It hasn't changed much either, as Friday night's 49-14 win over Colony proved. The Diamondbacks are 5-0 for the first time since 2004 when quarterback Carl Uhl led Serrano to a 14-0 record and the school's only section title.
Even veteran coach Ray Maholchic has sort of a throw-back, aw-shucks quality to him. Asked how long he would keep coaching, Maholchic quipped: "Probably until they carry me away kicking and screaming or they fire me."
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