Friendly Enemies: El Modena football Coach Bill...

Friendly Enemies: El Modena football Coach Bill Backstrom and Randy Wersching, president of the Ocean View Boosters Club, grew up together in Downey. They attended the same grammar school, high school and college--California--where they played football. Last Friday, they were on opposite sides of the field for the second consecutive year. Randy’s son, Mark, is the kicker and a linebacker for Ocean View (1-1).

“I don’t know the boy at all, but I’m ticked off that he’s not playing for me,” Backstrom said. “Two years ago my kids came back from a freshman game and told me about this (Ocean View) kicker. Mark is not just a kicker for them; he’s a linebacker, too, and he does a good job for them.”

Backstrom, who had a reunion with Mark’s father and mother, Kit, before the game, said, “She wished me good luck, but not too much luck.”

Said Kit Wersching: “I told Bill good luck; you’re going to need it.”

Backstrom and El Modena didn’t need any luck; the Vanguards (2-1) defeated Ocean View, 49-7.