MIDDLETOWN — Middletown has played in some huge games since last winning a section championship in 2001 against Cloverdale, but none bigger than Saturday”s showdown with Salesian in the North Coast Section Division IV final at Alhambra High School in Martinez.
Kickoff is 7 p.m. as the fourth-seeded Mustangs (12-1) shoot for a 13th straight victory against the No. 3-seeded Pride (10-2), a 57-52 winner over Middletown in week one at Middletown. Riding on the outcome of the game, besides a prized sectional championship, is a possible berth for the Mustangs in the state championship game for small schools the weekend of Dec. 17-18 in Carson. No Lake County team has ever won a Division IV section crown let alone advance to the state playoffs, which were instituted in 2006 although the small school division wasn”t added until 2008.
Middletown and Salesian are hardly strangers, having met numerous times in the regular season in past years and in the 2008 quarterfinal round of the playoffs, a game the Pride won 22-21 on a late field goal.
Plenty has changed for both teams since their meeting three months ago. For starters, Middletown senior middle linebacker Jake Davis, the two-time reigning North Central League I North MVP on defense, wasn”t available to the Mustangs in their season-opening loss (out with a broken jaw). The undisputed leader of the Middletown defense, Davis” difference-making potential can”t be overlooked on either side of the line of scrimmage — he”s also gained 442 yards with three TDs out of the Mustangs” backfield.
“Having him makes a difference, no doubt about it,” Foltmer said. “But he can”t do it all by himself and he”s going to need some help.”
Both teams are better than they were on Sept. 10, a scary thought given that Salesian”s offense, already formidable in week one, scored a combined 132 points in playoff wins over Fortuna (56-16) and Ferndale (76-28) the last two weeks.
Since allowing 52 points to Salesian, Middletown”s defense has barely been scratched, giving up a combined 41 points in 12 games since, including eight shutouts, most recently a 10-0 win over No. 1 seed Healdsburg last week in the semifinals.
So something is bound to give Saturday when the two teams knock heads for the second time this season.
“It”s probably the most explosive offense I”ve faced in my 30 years of coaching,” Foltmer said of the Pride, led by veteran coach Chad Nightingale. “They scored 56 points against Fortuna, most of it on pass plays. Against Ferndale most of that (76 points) came on the run. If you score 76 against Ferndale, which beat the No. 2 seed (St. Patrick-St. Vincent) the week before, you”re the real deal.”
Salesian”s offense is big up front and is led by 6-foot-8, 300-pound lineman Freddie Tagaloa, who already has the college scouts drooling. The Pride squad is also incredibly fast. Senior quarterback Ikaika Woolsey is a three-year veteran who led Salesian to the sectional title in 2008 and to the semifinals a year ago. Senior running back Aaron Prier rushed for 277 yards in the win over Ferndale.
“We”re also playing them on (artificial) turf, which is very much suited to what they do,” Foltmer said.
Salesian”s base running plays aren”t complicated but they are tough to stop.
“They run a trey counter to the strong side and a lead to the weak side,” Foltmer said. “Why are they so impressive? They have a 6-3, 270-pound guard and a huge tackle (Tagiloa) blocking up front. Their tailback (Prier) is extremely fast. He”s not going to run you over, but it”s hard to get a good hit on him.”
Woolsey also throws the ball well, according to Foltmer.
“He has two quick wide receivers and if they get behind you you”re in trouble,” he said.
Short curl patterns tend to suck a defense in and that”s when the Pride can beat you deep, according to Foltmer.
Given the tough task at hand, Foltmer said he”s perfectly confident in the ability of his defense to get the job done, no matter what it takes.
“These kids find a way,” Foltmer said. “That”s the biggest difference between us last year when we were all juniors and this year when we”re nearly all seniors. We come up with the big plays. We did a week ago against Healdsburg and we need to do it again against Salesian.”
Since the Sept. 10 loss to Salesian, Middletown”s defense has moved some pieces around the board and has four new starters.
From the standpoint of offense, the Mustangs did score plenty of points against the Pride in week one, though Foltmer said two kickoff returns for touchdowns and two big pass plays helped his team stay close.
“We have to move the football, sustain drives and keep their offense off the field,” Foltmer said of his offense. “I”m confident we can move the ball against them.”
The Mustangs also have to avoid turnovers, something they”ve done very well through the first 13 weeks of the season.
“Both Fortuna and Ferndale turned it over quite a bit and we can”t afford to do that,” Foltmer said.
Though the task in front of him and his players is formidable and the stakes incredibly huge, Foltmer said the Mustangs relish the opportunity to avenge their only loss of the season.
“You don”t always get that chance during a football season,” Foltmer said.
With the Mustangs” longest season ever approaching mid-December, Foltmer said the usual focus of improving every week is no longer the most important thing.
“We just need to win. We”ll take it any way we can,” Foltmer said. “Just find a way.”
Apart from winning the section and having the opportunity to advance to the state finals, something that could be a once-in-a-lifetime thing, Foltmer said Saturday”s game is a chance to gain even more credibility for small school teams in the northern half of the section.
“If we win, that will be two years in a row the NCL I North has done it (following Fort Bragg”s victory last season),” Foltmer said. “It will bring some credibility to our league and shut some people up when they say we don”t play anybody up here.”
In that regard, small school coaches from throughout the Redwood Empire have been in touch with Foltmer this week offering their best wishes and all-out support.
“We”re getting a lot of support,” Foltmer said.
A tsunami of community support has also made it a great week for the Mustangs during their game preparations and hopefully one additional week of football to come.
“This is big for the coaches, the players, everyone in the community,” Foltmer said. “We know it and we”re doing everything we can possibly do to get ready. I”ve seen too much film,” Foltmer said. “And I”m going to go watch some more.”
Foltmer said he is optimistic about the Mustangs” chances to extend their season for what would be one more glorious week.
“I”ve got a confidence just like my kids that this is our year.”
