Promoting CSM students, alumni & community to come and support their CSM Bulldogs on Saturday at 1 pm. On paper, Saturday’s Northern California Community College football championship game between host College of San Mateo and Reedley is a mismatch. But the top-ranked Bulldogs (9-1) didn’t get this far byThe article below originally appeared in The San Mateo Daily Journal.
It is being reprinted with the permission of The San Mateo Daily Journal.
On paper, Saturday’s Northern California Community College football championship game between host College of San Mateo and Reedley is a mismatch.
But the top-ranked Bulldogs (9-1) didn’t get this far by overlooking opponents. One can be sure it’s definitely not going to happen with a state title berth on the line. While CSM coach Bret Pollack appreciates the magnitude of the moment, he’s treating this week like any other week. The formula has worked so far, so why change now?
“It’s obviously great for the program and a milestone (to be in this position), but I have to be honest. Once the ball is kicked, I don’t think about all the outside stuff,” he said. “Once I’m in it, you just do your job. We understand the significance and how important this is, but at the same time we don’t reflect on it because our guys learned their lesson from Foothill.”
The Owls dealt the Bulldogs their only loss, 28-27, on Halloween. CSM admitted to having a lackadaisical week of practice, fell behind early in the game and took the lead before succumbing at the end. But unlike the previous couple of years, when a close loss proved devastating for the Bulldogs, this time they used it as a springboard en route to a historic season.
Never before, since the state title game has been contested, has CSM reached this point. Even better news: If the Bulldogs win, they would host the Southern California champion for the state championship three weeks from Saturday.
In other words, from here on out CSM controls its destiny.
“It’s a nice position to be in,” Pollack said. “I’ll take it because it’s definitely an advantage to play at home than having to travel.”
But first they have to take care of Reedley (6-4), which finished in a three-way tie for first place in the Valley Conference with a 3-2 record. Almost everything about this matchup says Reedley will have to play out of its mind and CSM will need a subpar performance for the Bulldogs not to advance.
“That’s why we play the game,” Pollack said.
Numbers don’t mean everything, but they do tell part of the story. And the statistics say CSM has been flat-out dominating at times this season while Reedley has been just good enough to get by. The teams shared a number of common opponents, and the only one that went in Reedley’s favor was its 35-27 win over Foothill. Reedley lost to Santa Rosa 12-6, lost to Sequoias 30-28 and beat Sierra, 25-22.
CSM, meanwhile, beat those three teams convincingly. The Bulldogs ripped Sequoias 55-14 and dominated Santa Rosa and Sierra by scores of 35-14 and 38-21, respectively. Add in the fact that Reedley was blown out by Fresno 34-6 in last week’s regular-season finale, and it’s no wonder CSM has to like its chances.
Oh yeah, the Bulldogs are out-rushing opponents by a 3-to-1 margin, averaging 44 points while giving up only 20 per game and piling up 473 yards a game while yielding 291.
Reedley, on the other hand, somehow managed to get this far even though it has given up twice as many yards through the air to its opponents and managing just 241 yards per game and allowing 327. Pollack said you can throw out all the numbers in a one-game scenario.
“I wouldn’t look at that 6-4 record and make a judgment on that,” he said. “Six-and-four can be misleading.”
Talk about a breakthrough. Ever since joining the powerful NorCal Conference in 2004, CSM’s goal was to win a league championship and compete for a state title. But entering the season the Bulldogs had only one previous winning record in the NorCal, when they went 3-2 in ’05.
Pollack points to the talent and improved leadership of the grayshirt sophomores — David Aknin, Matt Pelesasa, Eddie Elder, Jack Forbes and Eric Roberson, just to name a few — as the biggest reason why the program is in position to reach new heights.
“You have a core leadership of guys who came in two and half years ago and did everything right,” Pollack said. “From a leadership perspective, they’ve performed at the highest level.”
On the field, CSM might have no peer. There’s talent dripping all over the place at every position. The line play has been stout on both sides of the ball, the offense has moved the ball at will while protecting it, and the defense has been an immovable force throughout the season. In addition, CSM’s special teams’ play has been just that — special.
Although the kicking game struggled early on, it has improved to where it’s no longer a weakness. Then you watch the Bulldogs’ coverage on punt and kickoffs, and players are flying across and covering the field like a blanket before delivering devastating hits and tackles.
Notes: Several CSM players earned all-NorCal Conference honors. On the offensive side of the ball, running back Aknin and linemen Mike Dorricott, Jeremy Galten and Louis Canahuati made the first team, while quarterback Pelesasa and slot Will Frazier earned second-team honors.
Defensively, linebacker Forbes, tackle Matangi Tonga and safeties Elder and Joe Sampson made the first team, while linemen Andrew Moeaki was on the second team. Pollack earned coach of the year honors. overlooking opponents.
