It was September 2001, I was a 23-year old offensive coordinator at Freedom High School under coach Larry Rodriguez, and our third game of the season had unfolded in shocking fashion for the first two quarters. After having gone 1-9 the previous year, and in just our fourth year of varsity football, we were leading eventual NCS 3A champion Monte Vista 28-10, behind a litany of big plays from senior quarterback Nick Eslinger and sophomore running back Mike Neal.
We had won our first two games that season, but neither game measured up to the level of competition we would be facing in a hostile environment on the road. The kids were excited at halftime, but not sure how to respond. After all, the Mustangs had Kyle Wright at quarterback and speedy receiver Sam DeSa on the other sideline, and we had a feeling that 28 points would not win the game.
Before we returned to the sideline for the second half, one of our assistant coaches spoke to the team about how to approach the final two quarters, and it has stuck with me to this day.
“The most insignificant thing in a football game is the halftime score,” said then-defensive backs coach Jeff Jonas, who is now the head girls’ basketball coach for the Falcons and earlier in that game called a fake punt for a touchdown. “No one remembers it, and it can’t win the game for you, so you need to play these next two quarters like the first half never existed.”
Well, we didn’t ‘win’ the next two quarters, as Wright rallied the Mustangs, but we hung on to win the game when an apparent game-winning touchdown pass from Wright was called back for an illegal chop block in the backfield, and we took advantage defensively to escape with a 28-25 victory.
In many games around the North Coast Section this past week, however, the team with the lead at halftime was not so fortunate, as the halftime score truly meant nothing.
Big second half rallies propel teams to victory . . . In a key DVAL battle, Concord surprised many in the crowd by leading Clayton Valley 14-13 at halftime. The Ugly Eagles responded with 29 third-quarter points, however, to win 42-22.
In a game many expected to be one-sided, Las Lomas led Dublin 7-0 at the half. The Gaels recovered with 14 second-half points, and their defense held tight to preserve the 14-7 win.
Washington entered last week with a perfect 4-0 record in MVAL play, a game in front of both American and Moreau Catholic. But after going into halftime with a 14-8 lead over defending champion Kennedy, the Huskies’ offense was held scoreless in the second half, and the Titans rallied for the 20-14 win in overtime.
San Ramon Valley led Amador Valley 10-7 at halftime, but the Dons have shown amazing resiliency this season, and it continued as they rallied in the third quarter for the 21-17 victory. In other EBAL action, a tie game at the half between Monte Vista and Granada gave way to a Matadors’ lead entering the fourth quarter. The Mustangs scored 21 fourth-quarter points, however, to win going away, 42-32.
Freedom was expected to beat Deer Valley, but the Falcons and Wolverines were tied at the half. Freedom broke loose with 35 second-half points, though, for the 50-21 win.
We are the champions . . . With a win last weekend and a bye this week, three teams clinched at least a share of their respective league titles.
Foothill’s win over California clinched at least a share of the EBAL title, Fortuna’s win over Arcata clinched at least a share of the HDN-Big 5 title, and Marin Catholic’s win over Terra Linda clinched at least a share of the MCAL title.
Winless no more . . . Two of the section’s four winless teams entering last weekend broke into the win column.
Newark Memorial downed Mission San Jose, 28-18, while Sonoma Valley beat Healdsburg, 14-7.
All seven of the unbeaten teams in the section stayed that way during a weekend void of any major upsets.
Stat Watch . . . With two weeks remaining, we take a look at some of the milestones that have been achieved so far.
Fort Bragg’s Kaylor Sullivan is the lone member of the 3,000-yard passing group with 3,106 yards, while Miramonte’s Tim Tague is second at 2,559 passing yards. Tague (27 TD, 4 INT) is also a current member of an elite group of passers who all have more than 20 touchdowns and less than five interceptions through the year. The other three members of that group are Monte Vista’s Jake Haener (27 TD, 3 INT), Analy’s Jack Newman (31 TD, 3 INT), and Rancho Cotate’s Gunner Mefferd (24 TD, 4 INT).
There are two 1,000-yard receivers with two weeks remaining. They are Miramonte’s Sutter Lindberg and Fort Bragg’s Lucas Triplett. After those two is an impressive trio who all have 50 or more catches, 800 or more yards, and 12 or more touchdowns. Those three receivers are Monte Vista’s Noah Sol, Rancho Cotate’s Chris Taylor-Yamanoha, and Berean Christian’s Isaiah Hodgins.
There are 13 1,000-yard rushers with two weeks remaining in the regular season, and six more above 900 yards. Those 13 are Antioch’s Najee Harris, Moreau Catholic’s Jullen Ison, Clayton Valley’s Ray Jackson III, Foothill’s Isaiah Floyd, Piedmont’s Gabe Watson, Livermore Valley Prep’s Austin Brown, Concord’s Harold Tidwell, Pinole Valley’s Michael Kyle, Petaluma’s Lucas Dentoni, Deer Valley Rai-Shyan Alexander, Washington’s Mark Colbert, Berean Christian’s Joey Esco, and Pinole Valley’s Troyante McConico.
Harris leads the group with 1,844 yards, while both Ison and Jackson are above 1,500 yards. Pinole Valley is the lone team at this point with two rushers above the mark.
