California opens districts with rematch against top-ranked Blair Oaks

California senior Trystan Hees (left) and freshman Trevor Myers line up for an offensive play from scrimmage during last Friday's game against Blair Oaks at California.
California senior Trystan Hees (left) and freshman Trevor Myers line up for an offensive play from scrimmage during last Friday's game against Blair Oaks at California.

CALIFORNIA - The California Pintos are looking for a better result when they play the Blair Oaks Falcons tonight in the first round of the Class 2 District 5 Tournament.

Kickoff at 7 p.m. at the Falcon Athletic Complex in Wardsville.

California (0-9) finished the regular season last Friday with a 65-7 home loss to Blair Oaks (9-0) at Riley Field.

Blair Oaks opens postseason play as the No. 1 team in Class 2 in this week's Missouri Media Rankings. The Falcons moved up one spot following then-No. 1 Lamar's 24-21 loss to Cassville last Friday.

California coach Mikel Gragg said his players learned something about themselves.

"We were able to understand that we can play with these guys," Gragg said. "We can come in and we can play a good football game and if we believe in what we were are doing that we can have a really good night."

California only had 49 yards of total offense last week while Blair Oaks had 403 total yards. The Falcons had 162 rushing yards and 241 passing yards while California had six rushing yards and 43 passing yards.

Gragg said his team will have to run the ball better this time around after netting just 6 yards rushing last week against the Falcons.

"We have to run the football, control the clock a little bit better and not give them as many opportunities," he said. "We have to get first downs, move the ball and get on the scoreboard."

Heading into this game, Gragg said the Pintos will go with who has the hotter hand as the game goes on between quarterbacks Hunter Oliver and Alex Currens.

Currens missed last week's game while he was serving a one-game suspension. He was ejected for a helmet-to-helmet hit two weeks ago in a game against Southern Boone.

Oliver completed 4-of-11 passes against Blair Oaks, but only two of those completions advanced the ball past the line of scrimmage.

On defense, Gragg said the Pintos were able to slow down Blair Oaks' running game a bit last week, but the team needs to work on defending the pass. Falcons quarterback Nolan Hair completed four touchdown passes against California, including a 65-yard pass for a score on the first play of the game.

"We were able to stop their running game for the most part and make them go to their throwing game to get on the scoreboard against us," Gragg said. "We definitely have to work on our pass coverage this week and make sure that we can deal with both."

Alex Meisenheimer had the Pintos' lone touchdown last week against the Falcons, returning the opening kickoff of the second half 83 yards into the end zone.

Related Media: California Pintos Football Podcast [Blair Oaks preview, Oct. 26, 2018]