El Molino football team roaring through Sonoma County League play

FORESTVILLE - In some ways, last year was a lost season for El Molino football. The Lions finished 1-8, were outscored by 165 points and played their “home games” at Windsor High while a new all-purpose field was installed in Forestville. By the end of the season, hardly any students bothered to come to El Mo games on a Friday night.

This year has been a little different.

“We've gotten to the point where we have fans wanting to travel to Petaluma tomorrow,” senior lineman Jacob Peter said after practice Thursday.

As it used to be. As it should be. El Molino has made a 180-degree pivot in 2016 and brings a 3-0 Sonoma County League record (4-3 overall) into Friday's showdown against the Trojans. If the Lions can knock off Petaluma for the first time since 2011, an even bigger moment awaits. The little team from the pretty West County campus would meet Analy in a battle of squads that are undefeated in league.

Knocking off the powerful Tigers would be a tall order, but the opportunity simply to play for a league title would be a huge accomplishment for a program that hasn't finished atop the SCL since 1980.

First, though, the Lions will have to get past Petaluma, a team that suffered blowout losses in three of its first four games, but has rebounded to shut out three consecutive opponents since then.

“You never count Petaluma out,” El Molino coach Randy Parmeter said. “One of the things that I noticed when I first got here was, if you have a Petaluma team that's struggling at the beginning of the season, it doesn't really mean anything. Because once they kind of dial in their offense and get things going, they get rolling and they do well. So I'm always gonna look at them as one of the top contenders in the league.”

This year, though, the Lions are right there with the Trojans. They have a heady leader and two-way lineman in Peter, a much-improved quarterback in junior Avery Ransome, a big-time playmaker in junior Jack Fricker, a freshman sensation in Jalen Hall, a workhorse runner in junior Carmelo Salas and a change-of-pace back in senior Alex Radia.

And they boast plenty of other contributors, which is the biggest factor of all. Last year the Lions had 16 players on the roster. This year it's more like 26. That's a huge difference. This season, Parmeter has the supreme luxury of subbing guys in and out. So the team has gotten better.

“A hundred times better,” Ransome said. “Like, it's like not even comparable to last year.”

And it doesn't just come down to talent. “There's a different vibe in the locker room this year,” Peter said. “There's no doubt in any game we come into, we believe we can play with any team.”

With Solis leading the way, the Lions attacked the weight room all year. The offense started to click during June passing camp, and has gathered steam ever since.

But Parmeter sensed the change was coming long before that. He calls his 2015 team “one of the most enjoyable 1-8 teams I've been a part of.” The Lions weren't lacking talent or effort a year ago. There simply weren't enough of them, and many of those who suited up were inexperienced.

“We had six sophomores on the team last year that went from, I call it the deer-in-the-headlights look - they played both ways and special teams; that's not something you expect a sophomore to do - to where they were comfortable at the end of the year,” Parmeter said. “Those guys, they're like seniors now.”

The Lions' lack of experience in 2015 forced the coach to run a conservative Double Wing offense, with two tight ends. The plan changed this year. Parmeter took JV coach Taylor Galloway, the nephew of longtime St. Vincent coach Gary Galloway, and brought him up to varsity to install a spread offense with a lot of zone-read principles. El Mo has become a lot more fun to watch.

“I like it,” Ransome said. “I like scoring touchdowns.”

El Molino's newfound status was evident from the start. In 2015 the Lions opened their preseason schedule against Willits and were thumped 30-6. The same opponents faced off to start the 2016 season, and this time El Molino trounced the Wolverines 34-0.

“You could tell it was different from that night,” Peter said. “People were flying around. Every single person on defense was flying to make the play, even if it wasn't near their side.”

The Lions were so enthused with their improvement this season that they might have gotten a little overconfident. On Sept. 9 they traveled to Newman, a valley town not far from Turlock, to play Orestimba, a good small-school team that currently has a 6-1 record. El Mo took a 13-7 lead into the fourth quarter before losing 24-21 in the final minute.

The Lions returned home convinced they were about to roll over some teams. And promptly got waxed at home by Ferndale, 28-7.

“We scored on the second play of the game, on like an 80-yard touchdown run,” Ransome said. “And then … ”

“Got our ass kicked the rest of the game,” Peter finished the thought.

Lesson learned, followed by SCL victories against Piner, Healdsburg and Elsie Allen.

“It reminds me of my sophomore year, because my sophomore year we had a pretty good team, made the playoffs,” Peter said. “But I feel like there's more youthful energy within this team. My sophomore year was a more senior-driven team, and there was more natural leadership. There weren't as many highs or lows. Where with this team, the highs are greater than anything.”

Win or lose, Forestville is one of the most enjoyable football venues in the Redwood Empire. But the town seems to get a new bounce when the Lions are winning. This year, the fans are being rewarded for their patience. And so are the players.

“You tell kids, hey, work hard, put in the time, put in the work and it'll come,” Parmeter said. “You'd hate to tell them that and then for it not to happen. But it's happened.”

You can reach staff writer Phil Barber at 707-521-5263 or phil.barber@pressdemocrat.com. Follow him on Twitter: @Skinny_Post