Homecoming is the social and sporting highlight of the fall for many a high schooler (save for the playoffs, of course), but a note from my second-favorite high school English teacher, Billy Thomas at Hanford High, indicates this year's game will mean a bit more.

A reunion of the Bullpups' 1974 West Yosemite League championship squad, still the gold standard to many when measuring football success at HHS, will be held in conjunction with the Oct. 23 game against Tulare Western.

That team, in addition to going 10-0 in the regular season under first-year coach Glenn "Duffy" Dufour, produced a pair of NFL players in Jewerl Thomas and Mark Lee, Thomas with the then-Los Angeles Rams and Lee with the Packers.

A reunion dinner has been scheduled for Oct. 24 at The Vineyard Inn Wine Cellar in Lemoore. Social hour begins at 6 p.m, with dinner at 7 p.m.

While a few players from that team were introduced at halftime of last year's Central Section championship game, as they will be next month, this event is billed as the first time that team will be reunited.

Thomas reports whereabouts of the following players are unknown: Jim Moore, Mike Silva, Henry Valdez, David Smith, Victor Davis, Bob Withrow, Chris Knight, Manager, Ken Dias, Mark Nardini, Tony Robbins, Kevin Dias, Joe Dias, Al Casarez and Victor Perez.

Anyone needing information, or may have information on those listed above, can contact Dufour at (530) 432-8165, John Boogard at 584-7591, or Jim Pardieu at 584-9709 or 381-1989.

And now, a few more items hopefully worth that second cup of coffee on a Sunday morning as we welcome the NFL back into our lives.

* Yes, second favorite ... gonna take someone special to top Ms. Kawazoe at dearly departed Samuel Ayer High School in Milpitas, who encouraged my writing 30something years ago to the point where I get to remember her again here.

* Quite the day last Saturday for Hanford's Aaron Stanton, a senior at Occidental College.

The Hanford West High School grad had two interceptions, one returned 70 yards for a touchdown and the other setting up a 53-yard touchdown pass as Occidental defeated Menlo College in Atherton 17-0 in the season opener.

* Thanks to a helping hand from the women's golf club at Lemoore Golf Club, Lemoore High School's girls golf team has received a $500 grant from the Pacific Women's Golf Association.

"Kelly Gilfry has been the driving force behind this movement," writes Lemoore athletic director Thom Sembritzki. "Kelly and the women's club at Lemoore GC have been huge advocates for us since the girls program began six years ago."

* The good news? Here in the Fresno market, we're well outside the NFL's blackout zone for the 49ers and Raiders. The bad news? While I expect the 49ers to be better than last year, we've still got those eight Sundays where we'll have to watch the Raiders at home, unless one has a satellite package or a good antenna on a day the Bakersfield stations pick another game.

* Still way too early to make a call on any Kings County school in the WYL at this phase of the season, but all three will face stiff tests this week, with Hanford at Yosemite (Oakhurst), Hanford West at Dinuba and Lemoore at another loaded Tulare Union squad.

Richard de Give is The Sentinel's sports editor. He can be reached at 583-2430 or rdegive@HanfordSentinel.com

(Sept. 13, 2009)