After a strong finish to the regular season with a three-game winning streak, the California Pintos set their sights on the Class 2 District 2 playoffs.
California came into the playoffs as the No. 6 seed and had to travel to Washington to play the No. 3 seed St. Francis Borgia Knights. The game was one of back and forth action, but in the end, it was the Knights who made the big plays at the end and California's season with a 28-21 loss.
"You didn't want to think that it would be a close game coming into it, but as the game went on, you kind of got the feeling that it was going to be like this. Whoever had the ball last was probably going to win," Pintos coach Seth Womack said. "(Borgia) did a heck of a job and we give them credit for that, but losing always stings."
California won the opening coin toss and chose to start the game on the offensive end. On its first possession, California found themselves in trouble as Borgia's defensive line rushed California's running game for only two 1-yard plays. As a result, the Pintos were forced to punt on a three-and-out. The Knights were quick to jump on the Pintos on their first offensive possession. Borgia found its way to the end zone on a nine-play drive that ended with a 15-yard touchdown run.
Womack said that part of the reason for California's early struggles was that they came out of the gate slow and had to play from behind because of it.
"I think we just started the game slow in general. I don't know if it was the bus ride over here or if it was the pressure of playing in a playoff game. It doesn't really matter. I'm not going to make any excuses, but we figured it out," Womack said. "We started going on offense and moving the ball better. It was just a little too late towards the end and we gave up some key scores that we wish we could have back."
With a minute left in the first quarter and score still 7-0, the Pintos got a big jolt of momentum when junior Cameron Combs intercepted Borgia quarterback Keon Zeltmann just short of midfield. California took over possession of the ball and with 10:27 to go in the second quarter, the Pintos tied the game on a 1-yard touchdown run by sophomore running back Brooks Volkart.
The momentum didn't last long as the Knights took the ensuing kickoff 70 yards for a touchdown and a 14-7 lead.
California came right back to tie the game at 14 when senior quarterback Martin Kilmer called his own number and finished off a 12-play, 66-yard drive with a 5-yard touchdown run. The teams exchanged punts the remainder of the half and the game was tied at 14 at intermission.
California tried an onside kick to start the second half and the gamble paid off when the Pintos recovered at the Borgia 48-yard line. The Pintos were back in business on offense and took the lead after sophomore running back Tyler Oden scored on a 3-yard run. California now led 21-14 with 8:37 remaining in the third quarter.
"That played happened kind of by design, but it also had to do with their setup. We kind of went with what they gave us and we have a kicker, Eric Cardenas, that's really good at putting the ball where it needs to be and we found that soft spot on the field with that kick," Womack said. "There was another kick we had at our sideline that just barely missed. Had we got that one, who knows how things could've turned out. Unfortunately, we didn't get that one."
The kick Womack referred to was the kick that came after California's go ahead score in the third quarter. Cardenas kicked another onside kick towards the California sideline. The ball bounced towards the sideline and the ball deflected out of bounds and the Knights got possession at the California 47. Borgia tied the game at 21 three minutes later on a 6-yard touchdown run.
California had to start the fourth on defense and Borgia was threatening to get into Pintos territory. The Knights ran two motion plays and gain a first down on both plays to position themselves at the California 29. On second-and-10, Borgia ran a trick play and launched a flea-flicker pass for a touchdown to give the Knights a 28-21 advantage with 9:59 left in the game.
Borgia's defense set the tone for the rest of the game and the Pintos had to punt the ball away twice on critical possessions. California's own defense still had a chance to get a stop and have one more chance to tie the game with less than three minutes left. With the ball on the California 42, Borgia attempted to run the clock down with their running game and California had to use their last two timeouts to stop the clock. The Pintos' defense was able to hold Borgia to a fourth-and-inches with just more than a minute to play.
Unfortunately for California, Borgia converted the fourth-and-inches by inches for a first down to seal the win.
Womack said one of the biggest differences in the game was California's inability to deliver on critical possessions in the second half. Although the Pintos threw for more than half of their passing yards in the second half, they were unable to capitalize on their possessions because of Borgia's defensive pressure.
"I think we threw the ball a little bit better in the second half. We didn't run the ball as well as I would've liked. Part of that had to do with they way they adjusted at halftime. They came out and put a five-man front down and it screwed up some stuff for us, but we figured that out," Womack said. "They have a lot of big front-liners that can run and they blocked up the middle. So we started running the ball to the outside and after we got that rolling, we stalled a little bit. We could've done better with that."
Womack believes California made a statement all year by showing just how resilient it can be. Womack said although California's season did not reach the heights that they wanted to reach, it proved Pintos football can still win games and play great football, even if they're not the favorites to win it all.
"I don't think many people understand just how far we did come this year. We only had six seniors this year and that's always tough, when your senior class is that small. Most importantly, we came back from not a very good start, going 1-5. Nobody wants to go 1-5, but we came back and won our next three games. Most teams don't do that because it just doesn't happen to every team or to anybody. Our kids didn't pack it in, they just kept getting better and better after that. They showed what we're all about and that is toughness," Womack said.
"The fortitude and toughness of our kids this year just amazed me. Just how resilient they were all year and they didn't let things affect them. Even when we did get down. They figured out how to overcome it, instead of playing victim like some other teams who start 1-5 will sometimes do. We're better than that and we're going to prove that we're better than what our record is and I think we did that. We didn't win as many games as we would've liked, but I think we showed everyone what we're still capable of."
Senior quarterback Martin Kilmer went 10/19 for 115 yards and had a rushing touchdown for the Pintos on Friday night. (Democrat photo/Evan Holmes)
Sophomore running back (left) and junior Walker Friedmeyer (right) celebrate a one-yard touchdown run by Volkart to tie the game 7-7 in the second quarter. (Democrat photo/Evan Holmes)
Sophomore running back Tyler Oden lunges into the end zone for a three-yard touchdown to give California a 21-14 lead in the third quarter. (Democrat photo/Evan Holmes)
Junior Cameron Combs pumps up the California sideline after he makes an interception to end the first quarter. (Democrat photo/Evan Holmes)
Junior wide receiver Walker Friedmeyer makes a bobbling catch for a first down in the second quarter. Friedmeyer had three catches for 54 yards against St. Francis Borgia. (Democrat photo/Evan Holmes)
Sophomore running back Tyler Oden picks up a first down for the Pintos. Oden had 72 yards on 23 carries against the Knights on Friday. (Democrat photo/Evan Holmes)
Senior lineman Cody Williams lines up on the defensive line for the Pintos. (Democrat photo/Evan Holmes)
Head coach has a talk with his wide receivers before the second half. (Democrat photo/Evan Holmes)
Head coach Seth Womack is 11-10 with the Pintos after his second season with California. (Democrat photo/Evan Holmes)