Week 11 games
North Coast Section Division IV playoffs
First-round games
Friday
Middletown 34, Clear Lake 7
Justin-Siena 34, St. Vincent/St. Patrick 19
Saturday
Ferndale 56, Dougherty Valley 8
Salesian 42, Fort Bragg 7
Statistical leaders
Rushing — Middletown”s dynamic duo of Eric Tomko and Tyler Owen combined for 316 yards and five touchdowns against Clear Lake in first-round playoff action. Tomko gained 186 yards on 20 carries and scored each of the Mustangs” first four TDs. Owen added 130 yards on 18 carries. Fullback Ryan Lunas led the Cardinals with 35 yards on seven carries and their only score.
Passing — Clear Lake”s Ryan Richardson completed 5 of 9 passes for 78 yards, pushing the junior over 1,000 yards (1,020) for the season. Middletown”s Matt Outen was 2-for-8 for 20 yards.
Receiving — Clear Lake”s Chris Leloup caught three passes for 64 yards. Middletown and Lake County receiving leader Dylan Galusha had one catch for 10 yards.
Highlights
Special teams — Middletown placekicker Danny Beckwith went 4-for-5 on his extra-point tries. Noel McCormack”s 38-yard punt return late in the first quarter helped set up Clear Lake”s touchdown early in the second quarter.
Defense — Middletown defensive lineman George Garcia registered 1 ? sacks against Clear Lake and now has 6 ? on the season.
Roger Craig run redo — Former 49ers running back Roger Craig is best remembered for a high-stepping run he had against the Anaheim Rams, one during which defenders kept bouncing off him as he continued down the field for a long gain. Middletown”s Tyler Owen did a good pretty good impersonation of Craig late in the second quarter, gaining 14 yards on a similar run that also produced a personal foul against Clear Lake. Middletown scored three plays later to go up 28-7.
Turning point — After Clear Lake had closed to 14-7 on a Ryan Lunas 1-yard run early in the second quarter, the Cardinals” defense forced a punt and took possession at the Clear Lake 15. On the first play, Kevin Burt fumbled to Middletown”s Jake Davis. Middletown scored five plays later — all Eric Tomko runs — to go up 21-7.
Statistical oddity — In both Clear Lake-Middletown games this season, Clear Lake won the turnover battle (it was 2-1 on Friday) but lost big on the scoreboard.
Tip of the hat to the seeding committee — All four of the top seeds won in the first round, all by comfortable or lopsided margins.
Time to even it up — All three of Middletown”s section titles to date have come in odd-numbered years (1997, 1999, 2001). In fact, all four of Middletown appearances in section title games have come in odd-numbered years (they lost in 1991). If the Mustangs win this year, it would be their first section title in an even-numbered year.
Court ruling — A first-round game in the Sac-Joaquin section between Colfax and Oakdale was stopped by court order because a team that didn”t make the playoffs — Placer — sued, claiming the section incorrectly took away three of its wins because the school allegedly used an ineligible player. Though the section ruled against Placer”s appeal, the court reversed the section”s findings on Monday, that after an earlier court order prevented the Colfax-Oakdale first-round game from taking place on Friday. The other three first-round games were held. As a result of the judge”s decision, Colfax is out of the playoffs and Placer will play that first-round game on Friday night against Oakdale. Boy, wouldn”t you love to read the letters to the editor in the papers that cover those teams.
Salesian-Middletown rematch — Middletown beat Salesian, its semifinal-round playoff opponent this Friday, 49-20 in week one of the season at Middletown. After trailing 7-0 early on, the Mustangs led 28-20 at halftime. They put the game away with a 21-point third quarter. Middletown forced four turnovers, including a 20-yard interception return for a touchdown by Tony Zagajowski. Eric Tomko rushed for 107 yards on 13 carries and quarterback Matt Outen had a big game with 220 yards and two TDs.
If Ferndale and Middletown win this weekend ? — That would set the stage for yet another playoff meeting between the Wildcats and Mustangs. These teams have met in the playoffs four times previously, but never in a championship game. Ferndale won all three first-round meetings — 17-3 in 2005, 26-13 in 2004 and 12-0 in 2000. Middletown won the only semifinal meeting — 13-7 in 1999. All four games were played on Ferndale”s homefield or at a field in Ferndale”s backyard.
The last time ? — A Lake County team reached the semifinals was Clear Lake in 2005 (the Cardinals lost to Salesian). The last time Middletown reached the semifinals was in 2003 (losing to Justin-Siena).
With a little bit of luck — The weather for Friday night”s Middletown-Salesian semifinal will be as good as the weather for the Middletown-Clear Lake opener ? cold, but dry.
Around the state — Besides Ferndale, there are a couple of Division IV teams around Northern California who are undefeated — at least according to the various section Web sites. Hey, just keeping a close eye on a possible NorCal representative in the upcoming state championship game.
Kudos — To Lake County”s cross country teams on a productive 2008 season for the most part. Running is alive and well around here thanks to the hard work of the coaches and athletes involved.
He can”t reach 200 this season — But Middletown”s Bill Foltmer should get there next season. The victory over Clear Lake was No. 195 for Foltmer, who took over the Middletown program in 1985.
Hoop Classic — The Record-Bee Hoop Classic takes place Dec. 15-20 at Lower Lake High School”s new gym (knock on wood). Since the state championship games in football aren”t until Dec. 19-20, Middletown varsity boys” basketball coach Mike Mullin might not have his full squad by then. Hey, you never know.
Silver anniversary — This is my 25th season of Lake County football and a section championship would be a great way to celebrate. A state championship would be even better.
