LAKE COUNTY — The 2019 high school football season in Lake County is now complete with Middletown’s 35-7 loss to St. Bernard’s in the North Coast Section Division 6 semifinals on Saturday in Eureka.
St. Bernard’s (9-3), the No. 2 seed, advances to the Division 7 championship game against No. 1 seed Kennedy (11-1) on Saturday at Benicia High School.
So give a nod to the section for its seeding of the eight teams that made up the original Division 6 playoff field. Every game has gone to form so far heading into the championship game.
Middletown was trying to reach the sectional finals for a third straight year and win back-to-back championships for the first time in school history, but it wasn’t to be. St. Bernard’s pretty much dominated the Mustangs from the start, scoring a little more than two minutes into the game and holding that lead the rest of the way.
It was a pretty uncharacteristic performance by the Mustangs, who turned the ball over four times, including a 55-yard pick-six in the second quarter, made costly penalties at the wrong time, and missed converting in short-yardage situations, including a critical fourth-and-one late in the third quarter.
To be fair, the Crusaders, four years removed from winning a state championship, are the real deal. They were able to pass and run the ball, largely because of senior quarterback Will Omey, and they were able to contain Middletown’s running attack, allowing some yards to be sure but no huge gains. The long drives that the Mustangs executed flawlessly during the regular season and again in a first-round playoff win over Pinole Valley simply weren’t there on Saturday as Middletown hurt itself with a myriad of mistakes, and the Crusaders were patient enough to wait for those mistakes to occur and then jump all over them.
Following is a look back at Week 14:
Statistics
Rushing — Nico Barrio, senior running back, closed out a great high school career with 166 yards on 35 carries. His backfield mate and fellow three-year varsity veteran, Dillon Tingle, added 29 yards on nine carries, including a 7-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
Passing — Isaac Perez, another senior, went 4-for-12 for 54 yards and two interceptions. It wasn’t his best day to be sure, but he’s had numerous highlight-reel moments for the Mustangs this season.
Receiving — Nico Barrio’s 37-yard reception in the fourth quarter helped set up Middletown’s only touchdown. Justin Urbina had two catches for 14 yards.
Special teams
Kickoff returns — The Mustangs had a couple of nice kickoff returns to give them good field position but couldn’t take advantage.
1-for-1 — Jorge Fonseca’s only extra-point kick try of the game was down the middle.
Defense
Rising to the occasion — Pretty much all the big moments on defense belonged to St. Bernard’s, none bigger than Justin Hagler’s 55-yard interception return in the second quarter. The Crusaders had just scored on a 60-yard pass to go up 14-0. Hagler’s pick-six 65 seconds later made it 21-0, the halftime score. It was a killer.
Miscellaneous
Great careers — Nico Barrio, Dillon Tingle, Jared Pyzer and James Hernandez, all three-year veterans and the Middletown team captains this season, went 7-2 in three seasons of playoff games. They helped Middletown win two league championships (2017 and this season), reach two section championship games (2017 and 2018), and win the 2018 sectional title in Division 5.
Keeping him around — Middletown head coach Bill Foltmer needs 11 more victories to reach 300 for his career. Since he’s unlikely to get all 11 next season, that means he’ll probably stick around into 2021, which is good news for Mustangs fans.
You can’t make it up — After a Nico Barrio carry in the fourth quarter, a Middletown fan yelled, “Why don’t you give the ball to someone else?” Why would you want to? Barrio is one of the best backs in Middletown history, maybe the best, according to Foltmer.
Won’t see that often — A team having success running the ball at the heart of the Middletown defense, which St. Bernard’s was able to pull off.
Numbers — St. Bernard’s outgained Middletown 419-259, but the biggest discrepancy was in the turnover department, 4-0.
Heck of a fall season in M’town — The girls soccer team won league and section titles while the boys and girls cross country teams and the varsity football squad brought home league championships.
And that’s that — Lake County football season No. 36 is officially in the books for this columnist.
