LAKE COUNTY >> Bill Foltmer isn’t running for President of the United States, but he did make one solemn promise on Thursday, a promise with no strings attached.
With Middletown preparing for its biggest game of the season, a battle of undefeated North Central League I leaders tonight in Fort Bragg where the 5-0 Mustangs knock heads with the 6-0 Timberwolves, the 32-year coaching veteran said, “I will abide by the results of the game, win or lose.”
Middletown at Fort Bragg is not only the game of the week among Lake County schools, but all small schools throughout the Redwood Empire.
“These games take care of themselves,” Foltmer said. “The kids … they understand what’s at stake. I don’t have to do much motivating.”
In other action tonight involving Lake County teams, St. Vincent (0-6, 1-6) visits Kelseyville (3-2, 5-2) while Clear Lake (2-3, 3-4) plays at Lower Lake (2-3, 3-4). On Saturday afternoon, Los Molinos (3-4) travels to Upper Lake for a non-league eight-man game with the Cougars (3-4).
M’town at Fort Bragg
If Fort Bragg wins to improve to 7-0 in league and 8-1 overall, the Timberwolves clinch no worse than a share of a third straight league. They won the NCL I outright in 2015 and tied St. Helena for first in 2014. If the Timberwolves end up running the table in league play like last year’s 7-0 team did, they would be one of the top seeds in the upcoming North Coast Section Division V playoffs.
Fort Bragg also carries an 18-game league winning streak into tonight’s game. The last time the Timberwolves came out on the short end was Oct. 3, 2014 in Fort Bragg. Their opponent that night? None other than the Middletown Mustangs, who won 28-19.
“Historically we’ve played well there,” Foltmer said.
Middletown has won two of the last three meetings, also winning 42-0 at home in 2013. Fort Bragg beat the Mustangs 28-14 last year at Bill Foltmer Field.
If Middletown wins tonight to improve to 6-0 in league play and 6-2 overall, the Mustangs won’t clinch a share of the title but they will put themselves in the league driver’s seat. They still have a tough opponent next week in St. Helena (at Middletown) before closing out their schedule Nov. 4 at Willits.
Fort Bragg’s offense is led by standout quarterback Lucas Triplett, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound athlete if there ever was one. A year ago he was the favorite target of dynamic Fort Bragg passer Kaylor Sullivan. This year it’s Triplett who runs the Timberwolf show.
“They are so balanced it makes it tough,” Foltmer said. “You almost have to play a guessing game with your defense.”
Triplett is every bit the real deal, according to Middletown’s longtime coach.
“He’s almost more of a threat than last year’s quarterback (Sullivan),” Foltmer said. “He not only throws every bit as good a ball (as Sullivan), but he’s more of an athlete and can scramble around the corner if you’re not careful. I saw him dive into the end zone from the 4-yard line against St. Helena. He went right over a guy. What does that tell you?”
Fort Bragg can run the ball and pass it. Triplett’s wide receivers have good speed and hands and excel at working their way behind defenders, according to Foltmer.
“Every game it seems like they catch a deep one,” Foltmer said. “And they drop very few balls.”
The Timberwolves have a big fullback in senior Trystin Strickland (6-2, 240). If he gets a head of steam, look out.
“You’ve got to slow him down at the line of scrimmage,” Foltmer said.
Fort Bragg’s many weapons force opposing defenses into a delicate balancing act, according to Foltmer.
“You try to keep that kid (Triplett) in the pocket and keep enough guys back to play the pass … but it creates problems,” Foltmer said.
“I think we’ve put in a pretty good defensive package,” Foltmer said. “Our outside linebackers and cornerbacks have to make tackles against him (Triplett) if he takes off running with the ball.”
Fort Bragg’s defense has allowed points in league play – 19 to Clear Lake, 21 to St. Helena and 27 to Lower Lake – so it’s critical that the Middletown offense make the most of its chances.
“We need to maintain drives and score,” Foltmer said. “Twice last year we got into their red zone (inside the 20-yard line) and came away no points.”
Foltmer expects Fort Bragg to play six to eight men in the box and dare the Mustangs to throw the ball.
“Luke (Holt) is a capable quarterback and we’re going to have to utilize the passing game to keep their defense honest,” Foltmer said. “I’m not saying we’re going to go out there and throw the ball 70 percent of the time, but we’ll pick our spots.”
Clear Lake at Lower Lake
Lower Lake is looking to build more momentum after a 24-14 win over Kelseyville last week while Clear Lake is anxious to snap a three-game losing skid, including last week’s 36-0 loss to Middletown.
“It was a big game for all us and a turning point for our season,” Lower Lake coach Justin Gaddy said of the win over Kelseyville. “After those three losses (to Fort Bragg, Middletown and St. Helena) and a bye week, a lot of teams would have packed it up at that point.”
“It’s a great challenge for us,” Clear Lake coach Mark Cory said. “We need to step up and give them a game. Last week I thought we did some things well, but we didn’t do enough of them.”
Cutting down on turnovers would be a good first step for the Cardinals after coughing the ball up four times against Middletown and watching three of those turnovers turn into Mustang touchdowns.
“The kids are looking forward to it,” Cory said. “Our goal is to get better and finish.”
Gaddy said Clear Lake is greatly improved from last season.
“It’s multiple weeks now that we’ve played teams that run some version of the Wing-T, but what they run is not your basic Wing-T. I love the misdirection,” Gaddy said of Clear Lake. “They had success doing some of those things to us back in the scrimmage (in August).
“Clear Lake is well-coached, disciplined and their players are buying into the system,” Gaddy said.
“The thing that impressed me about Lower Lake against Kelseyville is that they really took it to them, they played very well,” Cory said of the Trojans. “They can throw it, they can run it. Both of their running backs are physical players and they have speed on the edges with their wide receivers.”
St. Vincent at Kelseyville
St. Vincent enters play still looking for its first league win and Kelseyville coach Erick Larsen certainly would like to keep the Mustangs’ losing streak intact.
“They have athletes,” Larsen said. “It’s not like they don’t have a team that can’t put points on the board. Their quarterback can throw the deep ball fairly well and they try to get No. 10 (Michael Davis) the ball any way they can,” Larsen added.
Davis, listed on the St. Vincent roster as a wide receiver, is the team’s leading pass-catcher with 25 receptions for 531 yards and seven touchdowns. He also leads the Mustangs in rushing with 373 yards and three TDs. His arm is a weapon as well and he has passed for one touchdown.
“Our emphasis is fixing the mistakes we had against Lower Lake,” Larsen said. “We set three goals to improve on, basic things we coaches feel that we can fix.”
Los Molinos at Upper Lake
There are lots of new faces in the Upper Lake starting lineup this week owing to injuries and disciplinary reasons. Among them is sophomore quarterback Ray Moran, who makes his first varsity start. Out with injuries are two of the fastest Cougars in Nathan Sneed (shoulder) and Chris Fecht (ankle/knee). The team’s standouts fullback, Jacob Kalawaia, may not see the field at all because of an injury.
“He’s iffy,” Upper Lake head coach Mike Smith said. “If he does play, it will be limited.”
Fortunately for the Cougars, running back Dre Santos is healthy and ready to go both ways for the Cougars.
“Once he’s on the field, he doesn’t come off,” Smith said.
Making his season debut because of earlier academic ineligibility is Dante Bassignani, who will fill in for Kalawaia at middle linebacker.
“He’s very excited to finally get out there,” Smith said.
Los Molinos agreed to fill a void in Upper Lake’s schedule after league opponent Point Arena folded its football program earlier this month. Upper Lake will return the favor next season by making the long haul to Los Molinos.
Finding one last home game — the Cougars finish things up next week on the road in Laytonville — was important, according to Smith.
“It allows us to have a senior day so that we can honor the seniors,” Smith said.
