The regular season is now complete, the district playoff seeds are now set and it's win or go home in every game the Pintos will play from here on out.
California easily handled its business last Friday night, defeating a winless Warsaw team 36-0 to secure the No. 3 seed in the playoffs. The Pintos will host No. 6 Southern Boone Friday at 7 p.m., a rematch from their matchup last month in which the Pintos won 20-12.
"After those first two games, I think we've played very well this year," California head coach Marty Albertson said. "We've probably played more up than what we thought at the beginning of the year, so that's a plus for these kids."
California's first team offense scored on all five of its possessions that they played, then Albertson switched to the second team midway through the third quarter.
The Pintos' starting offense gained 404 total yards on those five possessions, 249 rushing yards and 155 through the air. Sophomore quarterback Jacob Wolken completed 7 of his 15 pass attempts for those 155 yards and two touchdowns.
"He struggled throwing the ball later, I think he was trying to throw off his back foot," Albertson said. "He wasn't stepping into his throws, but he had a couple of nice ones early."
Wolken was also the leading rusher, compiling 106 yards and a touchdown, and senior Brandan Gump recorded eight carries for 83 yards and two touchdowns and junior Gunner Baquet added 47 yards on five attempts.
"Brandan is a converted tight end to running back, and he's done a great job since we moved him there," Albertson said. "He's running that inside zone play really well and running the ball hard, too. He's makes our running game a lot better, and it gives Gunner some rest."
For the third game in a row, California marched down the field on the opening kickoff and scored a touchdown to take an 8-0 lead. This week it was Gump's 9-yard rush after receiving the pitch from Wolken that gave the Pintos an early lead.
California converted three third downs on the drive, and Wolken and Woodruff combined for an incredible play deep in the Wildcats' territory. On a first-and-10 play, Wolken was about to fall victim of a sack, but he was able to get off a shovel pass to Woodruff who then gained 13 yards on the play. Gump's touchdown run came on the following play.
The Pintos' defense forced Warsaw into a third-and-out on its first possession, then California used just one play to score its second touchdown. Wolken connected with Woodruff down the right sideline for the 71-yard touchdown pass.
Woodruff led the team with 84 yards on two receptions and the touchdown.
"It was very crucial," Albertson said. "I tell the kids, they don't want to go out and be sloppy and not put points on the board. A team like (Warsaw), you want to end it in the first half."
Again California's defense stepped up with big plays on Warsaw's next two drives. Gump forced a fumble and Jackson Trachsel recovered to stop Warsaw's only serious threat of the game. Then on the next possession, Gump recovered another fumble near midfield.
"You just get exhausted," Gump said about playing on offense and defense. "It's one thing football does, you just have to toughen up and play through it."
The Pintos' defense allowed the Wildcats to gain only 118 total yards, 65 passing yards and 53 rushing. California also recorded five sacks and four tackles for a loss.
After the first fumble recovery, Wolken used his legs to move the offense into the red zone. He gained 12 and 14 yards on the ground, and Baquet had a 21-yard to set up Wolken's 24-yard run up the middle for the score. Wolken broke a couple of would-be tacklers near the 10-yard line on the way to pay dirt.
The score gave California a 22-0 lead midway through the second quarter.
Gump scored his second touchdown of the game on the Pintos' next drive after recovering the fumble, this time from 6 yards out to extend the lead to 29-0 just before halftime.
"We came out and did what we had to do to get the home field advantage for districts," Gump said. "The line blocked well, the running backs ran well, it was an all around good performance."
On the Pintos' first possession of the second half, Baquet and Gump had runs of 16 and 15, respectively, then Wolken found senior Landon Mouse for the 36-yard score and the 36-0 lead.
Mouse caught three passes from Wolken for 60 yards and the score.
"I thought they played pretty well," Albertson said. "We scored on every possession we had, you can't ask for much more on offense from that."
The second team offense came in and moved the ball well for California. Albertson was happy to see some young players get varsity action.
"It was very nice," he said. "That's what I tell the older players, "don't be selfish, get out there and take care of business like you know you should so these young guys can have a chance to get in the ball game.'"
California began the night with the presentation of the seniors who participate in the fall sports and activities. All season, Albertson has been asking for this senior class to step up and help lead a program that's coming off three-straight successful seasons.
"I can't ask for anymore effort from them," Albertson said. "They've all stuck together, kept it together and have been leaders for this program. That's the only thing you can ask from them."