It might be difficult to pinpoint what, exactly, the Central
Coast Barnstormers lost to on Saturday at the California State
Championship in Glendora.
Glendora
It might be difficult to pinpoint what, exactly, the Central Coast Barnstormers lost to on Saturday at the California State Championship in Glendora.
Was it the Foothill Firehawks, whose throw-all-day offense provided plenty of points? Or did idleness win the battle against the local semi-pro football team, as the Central Coast squad hadn’t played a game since they defeated the Sacramento Wolverines 23-3 in the NorCal Championship on Aug. 11?
According to Hollister resident and Barnstormer Lance Goularte, it was a lot of both.
Foothill defeated Central Coast Saturday 40-0 at Citrus College outside of Los Angeles. The SoCal team was fresh off a perfect 13-0 season, and fresh off their previous game, a 17-14 win on Nov. 24 to the San Diego Thunder.
The Barnstormers, representatives of Northern California for the second year in a row, were likely a little rusty against Foothill, as Goularte said Central Coast compiled approximately 150 total yards.
While the strong safety spoke highly of Foothill, he felt the nearly four month layoff was a “big factor.”
“When you win 12 games in a row and everything is clicking, and then all of a sudden you come to a complete standstill … you lose the fire,” he said.
Goularte, who played strong safety Saturday, said Foothill had more than enough information on the Barnstormers. While Central Coast was only able to scout the Firehawks’ previous game, Foothill asked opposing teams in Northern California for game film on the ‘Stormers, and they got it.
“They brought pressure the whole game. They had so many different combinations of blitzes,” Goularte said. “They had outside blitzes, inside blitzes, cornerback blitzes, you name it. They were bringing the heat.”
Goularte said quarterback Rhett Van De Mark had little time to throw, and when he did get a pass off, he was usually hurried.
No statistics were provided as of press time.
Defensively, Foothill opened a passing game using at least three wide receivers on every play. Goularte said the ‘Stormers’ defense did not allow the big play, but the Firehawks capitalized on blown assignments instead.
Central Coast had made it to the state championship game last year, and after having months off in between games, they lost to the Inglewood Blackhawks 48-28 in Gilroy.
With Northern and Southern California starting their seasons at different times, the state championship game has always involved a layoff for the team from the north.
While the three leagues in Northern California are expected to start their seasons next year at the same time, nothing as of yet is in place for NorCal and SoCal. There are discussions to an agreement where both ends of the state would commence their league season at the same time, preventing the layoffs that they have now, Goularte said, but nothing has been set in stone.
Foothill will advance to the national championship in Mesquite, Nev., where they’ll play the New Mexico Crush on Saturday. Goularte, though, along with Central Coast teammate Joe Rodriguez, will join Team USA in Mesquite, Nev., this weekend to battle their neighbors to the north, Team Canada, at 3 p.m.
