How teams are dealing with rain, wind, cold
For 3½ months, inclement weather did not disrupt Friday Night Lights in the Bay Area. That no longer is the case as the high school football season moves into the regional round.
One week after gusty winds and rain — at times heavy — wreaked havoc on the section championships, survivors are gearing up for another weekend of soggy football.
“You could put me on a mountain in Lake Tahoe and it wouldn’t look any different than I do in a cold football game,” said Serra coach Patrick Walsh, with a laugh. “It’s boots and gloves and literally just snow gear to stay warm.”
Serra will be back at it Saturday on its home field in San Mateo against San Joaquin Memorial for the CIF Northern California Division 1-A championship.
Rain is in the forecast, just as it is today.
If the results are anything like last weekend’s, look for teams that play strong defense and run effectively to advance.
This past Saturday at Independence High in San Jose, Serra claimed the Central Coast Section Division I title with a 17- 0 victory over Valley Christian. In blustery conditions, the Padres recovered four fumbles and intercepted two passes while shutting out their West Catholic Athletic League rival for the second time in four weeks.
“It was raining on the other sideline, too. And it was windy on the other sideline, too,” Walsh said. “The elements this time of year test mental toughness to a great degree. And there’s also strategic implications on play- calling and how to handle the elements.”
Los Gatos and Rancho Cotate also advanced to a NorCal regional with shutouts, though each avoided torrential conditions by playing Friday.
Neither is likely to be spared this weekend.
Los Gatos coach Mark Krail, whose team beat Oak Grove 21- 0 in the CCS Division II final, will trek 110 miles to Santa Rosa for a NorCal regional today against Cardinal.
“You would expect the defense would hopefully travel on a less-than-perfect night, which is what it certainly looks like it will be on Friday,” Krail said. “And, obviously, special teams come into play. The snaps and the holds and the kicking game are also magnified because possessions are going to be tough to move the ball.”
Rancho Cotate plays Saturday at Manteca in a NorCal regional against Sierra.
“It’s going to be a major factor because it’s going to be a grass field and it’s going to be on probably heavy downpour,” Rancho Cotate coach Gehrig Hotaling said. “So that equals mud and it will be more of an issue.”
He added: “You can probably throw early in the game. But once the ball situation deteriorates in the second half, it might be difficult to throw.”
Whenever there is rain or poor weather in the forecast, Clayton Valley Charter coach Tim Murphy does all he can to make sure practice conditions are worse than anything his players might experience on game day.
“Put it this way, we put our kids in the worst possible position that there is no way it will be that bad on Friday night,” Murphy said, without elaborating. “So now everything else is easier.”
Clayton Valley and its regional opponent tonight, Elk Grove, are built for ugly conditions. Both keep the ball at ground level.
“This game’s going to be over quick,” Murphy said. “They throw the ball 2½ times a game. It’s amazing. Makes us look like an airraid offense.”
As many coaches see it, running the ball, minimizing turnovers and playing sound defense are recipes for success when the calendar moves to late November and December.