A three-game skid during league play left some outsiders questioning whether Fortuna could get back to a North Coast Section Division IV title game, after the Huskies finished the regular season with a 5-5 overall record, last in the HDN-Big 4 standings.
But that late skid including a heart-breaking overtime loss to St. Bernard’s and a seven-point loss to a Del Norte team which Fortuna had beaten by 30 points earlier in the year. Then there was the injury factor, as the defending section champs went through a stretch where they were missing some key cogs.
“The biggest thing for us was getting healthy. Last year, we had no injuries. This year, we had four starters go down in the first league game,” said Fortuna coach Mike Benbow. “But once we got everyone back, we were better again.”
Now, the challenge for the Huskies in the championship game is not their health, but an unbeaten and top-seeded Moreau Catholic team which has racked up 644 points scored in 12 games. Last week, junior tailback Fresh Ison exploded for 408 yards and four touchdowns, added a 23-yard touchdown reception, and had a jaw-dropping punt return called back for a flag behind the play. The Mariners have not been held below 50 points since a 42-14 win over James Logan on Sep. 14.
“The bottom line is this – we’re not going to stop them, but we have to limit the big plays,” Benbow said. “We have to be able to tackle in space defensively. On the other side, if we can get first downs, we will be in the game. We hang out hats on moving the chains, and taking time off the clock.”
The effectiveness of Fortuna’s veer offense, known affectionately by the locals as the ‘Ka-chunk’ offense, is not lost on Moreau Catholic coach Rob Gatrell, who has compiled an overall head coaching record of 26-0 in his one-year stint at Windsor and now with the Mariners.
“If we allow them to extend drives, which they do very well, it can become a long night for us,” Gatrell said. “One of the big things for us is cleaning up our own play, and eliminating some of the penalties which have plagued us the past couple weeks. We can’t give them extra chances or hurt our own drives.”
And while it’s pretty clear that Fortuna wants to run the ball, especially with the effectiveness of running back Joey Pontes, quarterback Zac Claus is also plenty capable in the passing game. Moreau Catholic figures to see both aspects as threats on Saturday night.
“They do a great job of disguising their different looks, using multiple formations to move you around, and their play-action game keeps you from just keying the run game. We have to be smart and recognize what we see on the field,” Gatrell added. “They do the same thing on defense, giving us multiple looks to prepare for.”
As dominant as Moreau Catholic has been this year, Fortuna’s recent run has been nothing to sneeze at. Since getting healthy for the post-season, the sixth-seeded Huskies have routed El Molino 55-14, raced past three-seed Kennedy-Richmond 42-18, and left no doubt in a 30-6 win over Del Norte, a rare third meeting in one season between high school football teams.
There will also be the experience factor. Moreau Catholic is playing in its first section title game, but boasts tremendous athletes across the field, with game-changing receivers and defenders such as Lovelace Rufus, Max Anderson and sophomore Nikko Reed. Fortuna may not have the same complement of explosive athletes, but makes up for it with veteran leadership and physicality, especially in the form of lineman Sheaden Kadle and linebackers Adam Medeiros, Travis Lourenzo and Micah Pronovost. Add in a couple of talented sophomores who have made an impact in the secondary – Levi Nyberg and Brandon Gans – and it is easy to see why this version of the Huskies is peaking at the right time.
The teams meet on Saturday night at Dublin High, with kickoff at 7 pm.
