Editor’s note: This is the third in a five-part series previewing Lake County’s varsity football teams as they prepare for the 2018 season.
MIDDLETOWN >> The team with the veteran line and young backfield in 2017 finds itself in the exact opposite situation in 2018.
Middletown High School, defending North Central League I champion, graduated its “big three” up front but returns a talented stable of running backs this season.
“You’re always better off with a veteran line,” said Middletown coach Bill Foltmer, who is embarking on his 34th season at the school. “It’s easier to get a mediocre back through a good line than a talented back through a mediocre line.”
Lost to graduation were offensive and defensive line standouts Colton Hall, Cameron Ketchum and Devin Ross. They did more than their fair share while helping lead Middletown to a 7-0 league record and 10-2 overall mark, including a trip to the North Coast Section Division V finals. While the Mustangs fell 28-0 to St. Patrick-St. Vincent of Vallejo in the sectional final, the good news is the Bruins have since been moved up to Division IV and won’t be standing in any Lake County team’s way this season (they also beat Clear Lake in the playoffs last season).
“The top three seeds in the section after St. Patrick-St. Vincent were Lake County teams (Middletown, Kelseyville and Clear Lake),” Foltmer said of the 2017 playoffs.
The news up front for Middletown isn’t all bad. While graduation did claim the likes of Hall, Ketchum and Ross, two starting lineman, both juniors, are back for their second season at the varsity level. Jared Pyzer, a guard, and James Hernandez, a center/tackle, are joined by senior center Jacob Kelly, who played sparingly last season, junior Chris Fisher, who has no high school experience, and tackle Grayson Rockwell, a sophomore up from the junior varsity squad.
“He (Fisher) is aggressive, smart, a pleasant surprise,” Foltmer said. “He’s a great addition to the team.”
Eight other linemen are also on the roster working hard for playing time, according to Foltmer, and only one of them, Casey Chicoine, is a senior. The others are A.J. Leggitt, Black Schuster, Andres Martinez, Lucas Auzene, Josh Simon, Jonathan Bigall and Tyler Breiner.
Brad Clevenger, a Cardinal Newman transfer, will be the team’s starting tight end and could also see playing time as a fullback.
“He’s a big, strong, tough kid with great potential,” Foltmer said. “He’s going to help us.”
Along with three new starting linemen up front, the Mustangs will have another new face calling the signals at quarterback. RH Hess, a senior and starter for the Middletown defense last season, will play both ways this year after serving as a backup to Luke Holt in 2017.
“He’s got a good arm, throws a good ball and he enjoys playing the quarterback position,” Foltmer said. “He’s just inexperienced, but I’ve got confidence in him. Now he has to go out and prove himself.”
Hess will be backed up by Isaac Perez, last year’s junior varsity starter.
Middletown’s stable of running backs is a quality group. Leading the way is senior Drake Harbison, who was on his way to a great year in 2017 before a high ankle sprain derailed his season. He tried to return late in the year but had not fully recovered from the injury.
“If Drake didn’t get hurt, he might have pushed for the league MVP award,” Foltmer said. “That’s the kind of great start he got off to.”
Foltmer describes Harbison as “fast, big and strong, pretty much the full package.”
Added Foltmer, “He’s going to hit the hole hard. Once he does, he has the speed to pull away. He won’t try to finesse you.”
Foltmer calls Harbison the perfect compliment to running back Nico Barrio, who was called up last season when Harbison went down with his injury. The junior is from the scatback mold, shifty, quick and elusive.
“That’s a good combination between the two,” Foltmer said of Harbison and Barrio. “Barrio had some really, really good games for us last year.”
Middletown is loaded with options at fullback where senior Nash Field returns, and with the likes of Clevenger and junior Dillon Tingle adding depth on the roster. Both will see playing time in the backfield and elsewhere on the offense because they’re too good “not to play somewhere,” according to Foltmer.
“Backfield-wise, I can’t remember too many as deep as this group,” Foltmer said of the many great backfields he’s coached in three and a half decades at the school.
The wingback position features another veteran, senior Victor Guzman, and backup Cheyden Tom, who is up from the JV squad.
Playing at wide receiver for the Mustangs are juniors Logan Tacla and Guy Boyd.
“Our biggest questions on offense will be about our line, no doubt,” Foltmer said.
Turning to defense, Foltmer rates his linebacking corps as the strength of the unit.
“Our linebackers are the heart and soul of this team,” Foltmer said of middle linebackers Tingle and Clevenger and outside linebackers Harbison and Field.
Primary backups are Tom and Breiner.
The secondary also figures to hold its own with the return of starters Guzman and Hess. Other defensive backfield candidates are Tacla, Boyd, Barrio and Perez.
Up front for the Mustangs on defense are Cole Jensen, who was used only in goal-line situations last season, Rockwell and Pyzer.
“We have one other spot that is up for grabs,” Foltmer said.
On special teams, Chicoine returns as placekicker while Boyd also has a capable leg.
In the upcoming NCL I race, Foltmer said there is no reason the Mustangs shouldn’t contend for another league title.
“I know the last five or six years I’ve said we would be in the mix, but if you look back we have been,” Foltmer said. “I don’t see why this year should be any different. I don’t think there’s a clear favorite.”
Middletown’s preseason schedule features Hercules, Berean Christian (Aug. 31 in Walnut Creek) and Moreau Catholic (Sept. 7 at Middletown). The Mustangs open their league title defense Sept. 14 on the road in Lower Lake. Berean Christian won’t have a JV team this year, according to Foltmer.
Going into Tuesday’s practice, Foltmer said Middletown’s roster numbers stood at 25 for the varsity and 27 for the JVs.
