Flames, Tigers ready for cross-town battle
The city championship trophy will be on the line tonight for the 45th consecutive year, and Lodi and Tokay are gearing up for their historic football clash at the Grape Bowl.
Lodi (1-3 in the Tri-City Athletic League, 4-5) will be on the visitor’s for this year’s showdown, scheduled to kick off at 7:15 p.m., while Tokay (1-3 in the TCAL, 3-6) will be the home team. Tokay won last year’s contest 20-16.
But it’s not just bragging rights and a city trophy on the line. A Flames win would give them two league wins and a 5-5 record for the season, and a possible at-large playoff berth. With the Sac-Joaquin Section’s playoff system, it’s not every year that 5-5 teams make the playoffs. But the way the standings are shaking out this year, a few 5-5 squads could get in, and Lodi’s opponent wins could secure them a spot.
The playoff brackets are suppose to be released Saturday after 4 p.m. on its website —
Tokay coach Michael Holst feels one of the Flames’ strengths is the offensive and defensive lines, along with some threats in the skill positions.
“They’re big up front and physical,” Holst said. “It’s their second year operating out of the flexbone on offense, and they’ve improved at the technical aspects of running it.”
Anchoring the Flames’ lines are Ben Bishop, Ezequiel Arias, Tyler Wooldridge, Kent Powell and Ethan Bronson. Throughout the season, the quintet have created running lanes for quarterback Logan Stout, fullbacks A.J. Estrada, Larry McDowell and Cole Brooks, and wingback Trey Reese, who has been a double-threat with running and catching the ball in the Flames’ flexbone offense.
“We need to win the battle in the trenches,” Holst said. “Lodi uses a host of running backs to share the
load and they are all capable runners. We will need to do a good job up front (tonight).”
Lodi’s success in its run game this season has certainly caught Holst’s attention.
“People make a big deal about being ‘assignment sound’ when playing a flexbone, triple option team,” Holst said. “To us, it’s not necessarily any different than playing any other offense. Guys have to know their run fits based off their keys. We have to have good eyes everywhere. We have a solid game plan going into this one, and the players have been executing it well during this week of practice.”
Tokay’s defense is led by defensive end Zach Fleming, who is the nephew of Lodi coach Robert Sperling. Fleming leads Lodi area football players in sacks at nine. Making plays from their linebacker spots for the Tigers are sophomore Luke Millan and junior Nathan Branco.
The Tigers’ offense has been led by quarterback Daniel Garlick, and running backs Cory Glasgow, who returned to action after missing three games because of a toe injury sustained against in a non-league against McNair toward the end of September.
“Really efficient quarterback,” said Sperling of Garlick. “Their quarterback really has the three-step drop down; three steps and it’s out of his hands really quick. He’s really accurate. One of the Tigers’ deep threats are Joseph Heryford and Joshua Kirchner.
“He’s (Garlick) has good receivers to run good routes,” said Sperling of Heryford and Kirchner.
Weather forecasters are calling for rain to start early in the morning, and carry on throughout today.
“I think the rain should affect Lodi more offensively than us,” Holst said. “Running the triple (flexbone) is difficult when the ball is wet. You have to make two decisions correctly, and you need to get out of the mesh and pitch the ball perfectly every time. It could change their plan of attack a little bit. It’s Tokay-Lodi, it will always be exciting, no matter the records or anything else that’s on the line.”
Sperling added, “It’s bragging rights. This is the game that the kids will remember forever.”
In their league games last week, Tokay defeated West 32-14. The Flames were shut out 56-0 by St. Mary’s.
Liberty Ranch at Galt
The only thing Liberty Ranch (1-3 in the Sierra Valley Conference, 3-6) and Galt (0-4 in the SVC, 4-5) are playing for in their conference and cross-town finale at Warrior Stadium tonight is city bragging rights.
Liberty Ranch, which will be the visitor’s sidelines, was officially eliminated from any type of playoff berth when Cordova (3-1 in the SVC, 6-3) posted a 47-28 win in Rancho Cordova last week. Union Mine (2-2 in the SVC, 4-5) kept its playoff hopes alive with a 38-21 win over Galt, which has scored a combined six touchdowns in its last two conference games.
“Galt has good size up front as well as several playmakers on offense,” said Liberty Ranch coach Anthony Linebaugh.
Last year’s game had Liberty Ranch slipping past Galt 17-6 to win a share of the SVC title with Cordova and El Dorado.
“It is always a hard fought battle between both schools,” Linebaugh said. “I anticipate a great effort from both sides just like last year.”
Attempts were made to reach Galt coach Jermaine Allen for thoughts about tonight’s game, but he did not respond.