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The Acorn Camarillo Acorn Moorpark Acorn Simi Valley Acorn Thousand Oaks Acorn |
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The Acorn's High School Football Game of the Week
Oak Park (3-4) vs. Oaks Christian (7-0) Friday, 7:30 p.m. at Agoura High
Although Oak Park (3-4 overall, 1-1 in the Tri-Valley League) is the only school to ever beat the Lions twice, OPHS isn't expected to make much of a game of things this Friday at Agoura High with Oaks Christian (70 overall, 20 in the TVL) ranked No. 12 in the state by CalHiSports.com and No. 1 in the CIF-Southern Section Northwest Division coaches' poll. But for years, this game has also been a battle between two of the area's finest coaches in Billingsley and Redell. Barring a playoff game, Friday will be the last time the two coach against each other as representatives of Oak Park and Oaks Christian. In previous years, the two would hold nothing back in the week leading up to the big game. This year was no different. "Well, Billingsley is now old enough to get his Social Security check, so I guess it's a good time for him to retire," Redell said. Redell, 67, is older than Billingsley. "That's funny, I saw Redell's college football picture, and I know it was old because he wasn't wearing a facemask in it," Billingsley said. Redell continued: "Now that he's retiring, I guess I can retire, too. I just wanted him to do it first." Added Billingsley: "Redell retiring wouldn't be hard because he doesn't even coach. I actually work for a living, and coach different positions. Redell doesn't coach the offense or defense. He has someone do that for him. He's like a dictator over there." Pleasantries aside, the two actually have formed a mutual respect for each other. The coaches that have closely resembled Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon over the years both say the bantering is done in good fun. "There's actually never been a riff between Billingsley and myself," Redell said. "I've developed a great deal of respect for him and his coaching staff. He's a great leader, and the Oak Park parents are lucky to have had him there for so long. . . . "Look at me, saying all these nice things about Billingsley. I hope I don't get struck by lightning now." Billingsley told The Acorn in September that this would be his final year at the helm for the Eagles. Billingsley will remain the school's athletic director next year, but he hasn't changed his mind about stepping down from coaching. "My physical fatigue hasn't been that bad, but my mental fatigue has been draining me," Billingsley said. "I have no desire to come back to coaching next year. I need to take a year off and take care of my health." Although the two may not battle each other on the gridiron again, Billingsley didn't rule out more competition in years to come. "Yeah, I could see us years from now in a retirement home, and I'll beat him in everything," Billingsley said.
"I don't care if it's bingo, spelling bees or foot races, I'll win every single time." |
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