Trip to Golden State Bowl on the line this Saturday when the
Barnstormers square off against the Renegades in San Francisco
Hollister – It must all seem a bit like deja vu for the Central Coast Barnstormers this week.
For the third straight year, the local amateur football team is headed to the Golden State Amateur Football League’s AAA National Conference Championship game at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco, with a berth in Golden State Bowl IV on the line.
But this year, there’s a difference. This year, after just falling short of a date at Kezar, the Barnstormers will get their chance to play in The City’s venerable stadium – former home of the San Francisco 49ers in their “Million-Dollar Backfield” days.
Central Coast head coach Jeff Borges and his players held a light practice Wednesday night, preparing for a playoff opponent the team knows well.
On Saturday, the No. 3-seeded Barnstormers (8-4) will play the top-seeded Daly City Renegades (10-1) at 7pm at Kezar. The Stadium is located at 600 Frederick Street in San Francisco, at the southern entrance to Golden Gate Park. Admission is $5.
The winner will advance to the Golden State Bowl to take on the winner of the AAA American Conference title match between the North Bay Rattlers and the Capital City Fury, also happening this weekend. Golden State Bowl IV will be held on July 2, also at Kezar.
Last weekend, the Barnstormers earned their trip to Kezar with a 20-18 upset victory over the second-seeded Bay Area Assassins.
Earlier this year, the Barnstormers upended the Renegades 37-9 in a regular season meeting between the two teams on May 7. It is Daly City’s lone loss this season.
On defense, San Benito High grad Lance Goularte plays a solid linebacker, complimenting Joey Barnes, who is the AAA division’s fifth leading tackler with 55 and added nine sacks. Flores – a defensive back – led the team in interceptions with three.
Offensively, the Barnstormers are led by a quarterback platoon, including veteran QB Bryan Smith, who hails from Chico, and fellow signal-caller David Flores – a two-way star, along with running backs Derrick Morrison and Tommy Jimenez.
Smith, who is an assistant coach with the Gavilan College football team, threw for 836 yards and 10 touchdowns with eight interceptions this year, while Flores amassed 473 yards passing with three TDs and four picks.
Morrison rushed for 478 yards and three TDs on 80 carries, averaging nearly six yards per tote, and Jimenez chalked up 352 yards and a pair of scores on 75 carries. Morrison also had 32 receptions for 470 yards and two TDs this season.
