With every win, the Pitman High football team is sending a message across the high school football community. The Pride stamped out one last week, when they stomped all over upstart Golden Valley High in Merced, an easy 34-3 win that changed the perspective of a Pitman team that began the season with a loss.
Ever since then, the Pride have been regaining hope.
Once again, they have another challenge to overcome. On Friday at 7:30 p.m., they will face undefeated Buhach Colony High in a highly anticipated Central California Conference bout; the winner will depart from the Atwater High football field in command of the league.
“These are the kind of games which you get into coaching for,” Pitman coach Brandon Harris said.
The Pride are in an ideal situation.
Their only loss came in the season opener on Aug. 27, when Modesto High used its shifty running back, Arquel Rogers, to get past Pitman with a 48-36 victory. Since then, the Pride have been soaring with confidence, considering they are now 5-1 overall after winning five straight games and are about to clash with the biggest, baddest team in the CCC.
On Friday, the Thunder (6-0, 1-0 CCC) escaped Joe Debely Stadium with a 28-27 win over Turlock High after a missed extra point — part of eventual night that also saw Buhach Colony running back Jarrell Davis dance to a 205-yard night on the ground. Before then, four of the five Buhach Colony wins were by at least one touchdown, meaning Turlock’s close loss proved that this league powerhouse was beatable.
“We are very excited and looking forward to the challenge,” Harris said. “They are big, fast and very well coached. It is your typical David vs. Goliath matchup.”
Taking down Buhach Colony will definitely send another message about Pitman.
Bulldogs not letting defeat slow them down
Yes, it hurt. That was obvious after the Turlock football players and coaches watched Dominic Breshears’ extra-point try with no time left on the clock bounce off the left upright, giving the Thunder a 28-27 win and sending the Bulldogs to a somber postgame huddle.
But just minutes after the loss on Friday night, the Bulldogs were already talking about their matchup with Merced High, which takes place at Debely Stadium at 7:30 p.m. on Friday night.
“We’ll regroup. We’re going to get right back on it,” Turlock coach James Peterson said. “We know Merced’s tough. They’ve beaten us a few times the last few years. We want to get back and beat them. We’re going to be ready for them.”
Turlock is 5-1 overall and 0-1 in the CCC, while Merced is 3-3 overall and 1-0 in the CCC after winning three of its last four games.
