Happy Holidays, everyone!

I'd like to welcome everybody to my School Street, my newly-started prep sports blog. It's a great place to stop by. Really. It'll contain additional reporting and my own musings on the local sports scene, and I appreciate any comments and feedback from the readers.

Now, to the task at hand. It's been one heck of a fall sports season, but which local contests ended up being the best of the bunch?

This week, we'll be counting down the five games that I found most entertaining to cover. Not every game ended in victory for the local club, but all featured plenty of drama and excitement. Some had big plays and performances, others controversy.

So, off we go. We start with the very first game I ever covered for the News-Sentinel. 

No. 5: Tokay Football at Modesto Christian, Aug. 26

One blown coverage.

That’s all it took to turn the Tigers’ 2011 debut from a potentially memorable comeback win into a heartbreaking 34-28 defeat.

But as it happened, no one from the Tokay High defense accounted for Crusaders tight end Zack Megee, who slithered uncovered over the middle and caught the game-winning touchdown pass from Nate Sudfeld in the final seconds.

It was a bitter ending to a dazzling display from senior wideout Ryan Rogero, who put on a season-opening show with 207 receiving yards — a school single-game record that he would break later in the year.

His first statement came early on. Tokay found itself down 14-0 early in the second quarter, and sophomore quarterback Kelse DePauli-Wiltse started out 0-for-6. It wouldn't be long before he found his rhythm.

Rogero hauled in four straight passes from his signal-caller, sparking the Tigers' first touchdown drive. Then, Rogero tied the contest at 28-apiece late in the fourth quarter — snatching a quick screen pass, spinning out of a tackle and sprinting 71 yards to the end zone.

Tokay would go on to win just two games this fall, but this one was tantalizingly close to being No. 3.

Stay tuned tomorrow to see my fourth-best game covered this past fall. A hint: what do a high school water polo coach and Chris Webber have in common?