Bear Creek high school

When the Pomona Panthers beat the Bear Creek Bears, 34-26, at homecoming the Bears vowed revenge. All photos courtesy George Kochaniec, Jr.

There are two games high school coaches and players hate to lose – homecoming and the playoffs. So when the Pomona Panthers beat the Bear Creek Bears, 34-26, at homecoming the Bears vowed revenge.

Photos from Bear Creek’s 48 – 6 victory over Thomas Jefferson.

Ask any coach or athlete and they’ll tell you a week long layoff can be the kiss of death when the playoffs roll around. So with a two week layoff, one could well understand coach Mike Ackerman’s concern. When the Bear Creek Bears came out sluggish in their first-round state playoff game against the Coronado Cougars, Ackerman’s concern turned to real angst.

Playing the first game of a double-header under the bright October sun at JeffCo Stadium, Bear Creek’s Bears and Lakewood’s Tigers duked it out in contrasting styles: Bear Creek’s aerial attack and Lakewood’s steady ground assault.

Game photos from Pomona vs. Bear Creek, September 25, 2009. All photos courtesy George Kochaniec, Jr.

More than 1,200 seniors graduated from Lakewood’s four traditional high schools this week, some of them squeezing through at the last minute.

The economy is faltering, forcing most of us to trim the fat from the family budget. That means beans and bacon instead of steak. Leftovers are back. But how about our public officials who pass the tab along to us? This week the Waistline looks at Lakewood.