After nearly two months off from their previous game, the
Central Coast Barnstormers showed no rust in the NorCal
Championship against the Sacramento Wolverines Saturday at Gilroy
High School.
Gilroy – After nearly two months off from their previous game, the Central Coast Barnstormers showed no rust in the NorCal Championship against the Sacramento Wolverines Saturday at Gilroy High School.
They seemingly showed no frustration or letdown either, with very little suggesting this was their first game since the Northern California Amateur Football Federation (NCAFF) championship on June 16.
The top-ranked defense, especially, made sure of it, as the Barnstormers routed Sacramento in the NorCal Championship 23-3, becoming repeat champions, and setting up a state title game against the winner of Southern California.
“There was a little bit of rust offensively, but the defense played so well early that it allowed the offense to get going and execute,” ‘Stormers Head Coach Dave Clapham said. “It doesn’t take long to rub that rust off.”
The Barnstormers defense, recognized as the top defense in Northern California, played as if they hadn’t taken a day off, causing five Sacramento turnovers, including four interceptions, two from defensive back David Flores.
“We thought they were a lot tougher than they were going to be,” said Barnstormer defensive back Lance Goularte, who had an interception in the fourth quarter off backup quarterback Tommy Curry. Goularte said the ‘Stormers studied film on the Wolverines, and with practices twice a week since the NCAFF championship, “the secondary stepped it up.”
“There was some rust on our offense, but we’re the No. 1 defense in the state, so we stayed together,” Goularte said. “It’s just like riding a bicycle. You never forget.”
There was no layoff for Sacramento, however, who played their Golden Coast Football League Championship on Aug. 4, defeating the Clovis Wolves 48-14. With that said, Defensive Coordinator Jeff Parsley said he was proud of the way the Barnstormers came out and played at a high level.
“We came out and matched their intensity, and even upped the intensity that they had,” Parsley said. “The main thing was that everyone stayed positive. No one ever got down on themselves, and we stayed together as a team.
“At the very beginning, it seemed we needed to get back out there again and hit someone different.”
The Barnstormers set the tempo early in the game, taking a 3-0 lead on a 40-yard field goal by Jaime Iracheta. After both teams went three-and-out, Barnstormer Tony Owens picked off a Wolverine pass on Sacramento’s 20-yard line.
On the ensuing drive, quarterback Rhett Van de Mark, who was 7 of 17 for 126 yards and two touchdowns, found a wide-open Rigoberto Munoz in the right corner for a 25-yard touchdown.
Later in the second quarter, Sacramento got on the scoreboard with a 25-yard field goal, but on the first play of the ensuing drive, the Barnstormers offense hooked up once again.
Van de Mark connected with Munoz for a second time on the right sideline for a 64-yard touchdown that started with a foot race and ended with the speedy Munoz leaping into the end zone. Munoz only had three catches in the game, but had two touchdowns and 101 yards receiving.
The Barnstormers took a 16-3 lead into halftime, and added to it late in the third quarter when running back Derrick Morrison weaved up the middle for a 12-yard touchdown. The play ended with Morrison leaping over a Sacramento defensive back into the end zone, and had the running back shouting “Superman” as he trotted off the field.
Morrison finished with 15 carries and 77 yards.
It was the Barnstormers defense, though, that kept Sacramento at bay for the whole game, and held the Wolverines offense to just 215 total yards.
“I wasn’t too worried about our defense … We’ve had the No. 1 defense the last two years,” Parsley said. “It seemed like when we got on a good roll, we started clicking.”
Last year, the Barnstormers hosted the state title game against the Inglewood Blackhawks in December but lost after having months off in between games. In order to prevent that, Parsley said the squad has been talking to other teams in the NCAFF to scrimmage and get a “little more game atmosphere than just practicing.”
The state title game will be played in the first week of December, although no site has been announced.
“You get back-to-back NorCal championships,” Clapham said, “and there’s nothing preventing us from going down there and taking state.”
