MIDDLETOWN >> Middletown’s Mustangs hit the Willits Wolverines with everything they had (left) on Friday night in a 47-0 victory in the first round of a North Coast Section Division V playoff game at Bill Foltmer Field.
Driving to touchdowns on its first six possessions of the the first half and overwhelming the Wolverines with its defense, Middletown built a 40-0 lead in the first half.
But that’s only a small part of the story. The Mustangs ruled on a night when they were forced to play with substitutes and promoted junior varsity players because of injuries and other factors. Quarterback Connor Armstrong was inactivated by a season-ending injury suffered at Cloverdale two weeks ago. Running back Coleman Drew was dismissed from the team this week and first-string linemen Antonio Vargas, Harry Webb and Josh Rebolledo were all sidelined by injuries.
No matter. The team that Bill Foltmer sent out Friday night picked up the slack admirably.
“We didn’t have five starters.” he said. “Quarterback, tailback, three starting linemen and a fine receiver (Tyler Fleenor sprained his ankle early Friday at school). The JV kids who came up stepped up pretty well. There were some really nice holes tonight.”
Foltmer’s makeshift team immediately dispelled any doubt by racking up 211 yards and three rushing touchdowns during a 27-point first quarter.
The most amazing performance was that of John Kelley, a running back who scored the first three Middletown touchdowns on runs of 20, 12 and 18 yards — his only carries in the first quarter — while playing the tailback position he inherited from the departed Drew.
While the team that came together Friday night to defeat a No. 10 seed in Willits (5-6), it will be more severely tested a week from today in Eureka when it clashes with No. 2 seed St. Bernard (9-1). Middletown (6-4) was seeded seventh in the original 11-team field.
“We’re pretty beat up and we’ll be going to meet the No. 2 seed, but anything from here is icing on the cake for these kids,” Foltmer said. “Whatever happens happens. I know this; we’ll represent our league well.”
In a gesture of good sportsmanship St. Bernard offered to set aside the format of superior seeded teams being the host and offered to travel to Middletown for that game as a gesture of compassion for the Mustangs, many of whom are still suffering the effects of the Valley Fire.
But Foltmer graciously declined the offer. “We don’t want to take away from what their kids have earned. We appreciate the gesture, but they deserve that homefield, and we’re not going to take it away from them.”
Foltmer said he was pleased that Middletown’s seniors played a role in an excellent game for the Mustangs.
“I’m really proud,” he said. “It was nice for our seniors to have a happy memory.”
He was talking about a game in which the Mustangs allowed only 25 offensive yards to the Wolverines in the first half. Willits had five three-and-outs in six possessions.
The Mustangs scored all but one of their touchdowns rushing. The only exception was a thing of beauty – a play-action pass from quarterback Robbie Carey to Stephen Amos for 61 yards.
Middletown finished with 467 rushing yards and 525 yards overall. Sophomore Nate Holguin anchored the running game with 186 yards and two touchdowns. Gabe Guzman added another 89 yards and a TD.
