By Ray Hamill — The Ferndale Wildcats faced their biggest challenge of the season on Saturday afternoon, but passed with flying colors to keep their North Coast Section championship ambitions on track.
The Cats welcomed Salesian to Coach Carlson Wildcat Field for a Division-5 NCS semifinal showdown and pulled away late in the game on the way to a 35-7 win.
The victory was the team’s 12th in 12 games this season and secures a section championship game berth for the third straight year for the No. 2 seeds in the bracket, who will play No. 1 St. Vincent de Paul next Saturday.
“This was a great day in the Cream City,” Ferndale head coach Clint McClurg said. “We all know the higher you climb the championship mountain, it definitely gets extremely difficult.”
It didn’t look like that was going to be the case early in the game, as the Cats continued to dominate in all three phases of the game.
After forcing a quick three-and-out on the Pride’s opening possession, a good punt return gave the hosts good field position and they would quickly take full advantage of the opportunity when senior Prescott Langer ran in for a 13-yard TD barely two minutes into the game.
Defensively, the Cats would hold the Pride to just one first down on their first four possessions of the day and it appeared as if an impressive Salesian aerial attack was having problems finding its rhythm on the Ferndale field.
But the No. 3 seeds would grow into the game, and they did so on both sides of the ball.
They forced a rare Ferndale punt on the Cats’ second possession, came away with an interception on their third, and took over on downs on their fourth, deep in Salesian territory just as the home team was threatening to add to its lead.
The Pride would get on the scoreboard after that, driving 95 yards and finding the end zone on a 13-yard TD pass from quarterback Izeah Buchanan to receiver Carlton Perrilliat Jr. with just 45 seconds remaining in the opening half.
Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com
It was just the fourth TD the Cats have given up all year, but they wasted little time responding.
After recovering the ensuing onside kick at midfield, it took just three plays and 20 seconds to reestablish their lead, with quarterback Tanner Pidgeon throwing a pinpoint pass through two defenders and into the hands of Langer, who broke free for a 27-yard TD.
A scoreless third quarter left the game still well in the balance heading into the fourth, but the Cats would pull away with three more touchdowns to secure a ninth win in their last 10 playoffs games.
“I think Salesian was a difficult situation for us, and that’s okay,” McClurg said of the matchup. “We love the opportunity and we were able to become a better football team. This is what playoff football is supposed to be.”
The Pride did their homework in advance of the big showdown and prioritized containing the very dangerous Ferndale tandem of Langer and Pidgeon.
But while the two senior captains were limited, the Cats have a plethora of weapons on both sides of the ball and McClurg and his staff utilized them to tremendous effect, no one more so than junior Garyn McClurg, who is growing in stature with almost every outing, it seems.
“No. 6 stepped up for this team when it was needed,” the head coach said of Garyn, who was very effective at running back and outside linebacker, a role in which he has thrived in recent weeks. “He’s a beast, but you can’t be a beast without a team of monsters. It was an outstanding performance by the Ferndale Wildcats.”
The young McClurg would add a big TD pass to his older brother, senior Rolland McClurg, in the fourth quarter on a score that would put the Cats up 28-7 and realistically ended the game as a contest, even considering the potentially explosive nature of the visiting offense.
“No. 6 took full advantage of his opportunity to showcase his abilities,” Clint McClurg said of Garyn’s TD pass, which came after a pitch out from Pidgeon. “That was a pretty special play, and we needed it at the time.”
Pidgeon also had two late TD runs, showing that he could only be contained so much, and Christian Enriquez nailed all seven PATs to cap another impressive day for the 12-0 Wildcats.
“Christian was money on PATs,” Clint McClurg said. “Our PAT team was money.”
So too was the team blocking, as usual, with Langer and Pidgeon setting a physical tone, along with the entire offensive line.
But the secondary might have been the most impressive unit on the day, with Pidgeon, Rolland McCurg and Tristen Titus all rising to the challenge against a very dangerous Salesian aerial attack.
“I think our DBs stepped up,” the Ferndale coach said. “It was a huge challenge, and they embraced that challenge.”
Titus was beaten on the TD play, but like a good corner he responded with an outstanding performance for the rest of the game.
“He had a really good football game,” Clint McClurg said of the senior. “That’s a very explosive team, and No. 3 did exactly what we needed.”
The ever-consistent Jacob Kurwitz also had a big game on the line and helped set a physical tone on a beat-up offensive line that was missing two starters.
And he wasn’t the only lineman to impress, with junior Brandon Bailey and sophomore Rigel Hahner both playing key roles all afternoon.
Hahner has adapted seamlessly since being called up from the JVs a few weeks ago and has filled in at a variety of positions, while impressing at all of them.
“That young man continues to say yes whenever we ask something of him, and that’s what we need from our football players,” Clint McClurg said.
Liam Bishop is another sophomore who has quickly established himself as a key member of the team, particularly at middle linebacker.
“He’s very, very talented and physically amazing,” the Ferndale coach added. “Today was a huge day for him.”
Junior Luke Dixon also had a huge day in a slightly different role.
Normally a lead blocker, Dixon saw more carries than usual and he did not disappoint.
“We felt like we needed his physical style of play with the ball in his hands,” Clint McClurg said. “He’s another unsung monster, and it was effective.”
All in all, it was another good day for the Wildcats, who will continue their incredible season in next weekend’s NCS decider.
“Through competition we got better, and through struggles we were able to accomplish some things,” the coach added.
Next weekend’s game will take place at Rancho Cotate High School in Rohnert Park, with kickoff set for 7 p.m.
