2008
Grizzlies ready to take final step
Filed Under (In the news) by Paul on 20-11-2008
By Kyle Bonagura, Media News Staff
Last year was all about milestones for the California High football team.
It earned its first share of the East Bay Athletic League title, won its first North Coast Section playoff game and made its first appearance in an NCS title game. The accomplishments added up to the best season in school history, and essentially put the program on the map.
If this year has proved anything, it’s that the Grizzlies were not a one-hit wonder. The schedule shows four losses, but none came by more than one score, including seven-point losses to Washington’s No. 1-ranked team (Bellevue) and California’s No. 3-ranked team (De La Salle).
"It’s kind of getting old," coach Tony Sanchez said about the team’s close losses. "We have been so close so many times, but I think we’re on the right track headed into the playoffs."
The road back to the NCS Division I title game begins today as sixth-seeded Cal (6-4) travels to No. 11 Washington (7-3) at 7 p.m.
Like Cal, Washington has been a team on the rise the past few seasons. Coach Ken Wittmer took over the program before the 2005 season and has the Huskies in the postseason for the third consecutive year. He replaced Bill Hoefs, who now coaches the freshman team at Cal.
"We have a lot of respect for Cal. Before Sanchez got there, Cal was like the step-child of that league," Wittmer said. "We’d like to have success similar to what they are having, but it’s hard because we only have 24 guys on our team and Cal has over 60."
Washington’s spread offense was the most explosive unit in the Mission Valley Athletic League—averaging 334.7 yards of total offense per game (215.2 yards per game through the air)—and was the key to it winning its first league title since 1998.
Sanchez poured through 10 hours of tape of Washington on Sunday after the matchup was set and came away impressed with some of things the Huskies do. However, he remained confident the level of play in the EBAL has more than prepared the Grizzlies for what they will see tonight.
Cal’s offensive strategy has been fairly simple. It uses its big strong, offensive line to open up holes for the EBAL’s leading rusher, LeRoy Green, who ran for 1,374 yards during the year.
The winner of tonight’s game will travel to No. 3 seed Pittsburg next week.
