It was the most anticipated moment during summer camp, at least for Bill Magnusson's eight years as Firebaugh High School's football coach. A chance for the biggest and baddest on his team to show just how big and bad they were.



Monster Ball, they called it.



The young men at the rural California school nearly an hour west of Fresno would make their way to the wrestling room. Eleven linebackers and linemen lined up on their knees on one side. Eleven more opposite. Magnusson placed a 20-pound medicine ball in the middle. On a whistle, the two sides ferociously rushed inside.



The goal: Retrieve the ball, then get it across the opposition's line.



“It's no holds barred,” the now-retired coach said with a chuckle. “It's just a scrum, body-on-body. The kids love it.”



Magnusson's lost track of how many Monster Ball bouts he's refereed. But one, in particular, will always stand out. In the summer...