Middletown wins NCS football title by upsetting Salesian

The Middletown High School football team made it official Saturday night - the Mustangs are the North Coast Section Division 5 champions for the first time in 18 years.

No. 5-ranked Middletown jumped out to a 7-0 lead at halftime against Salesian College Prep and added three more touchdowns in the second half, taking a three-score lead at one point before settling for a 28-14 upset victory against a longtime Bay Area rival and the division’s second seed in the title game held in Martinez.

It was a result that was far from guaranteed for Middletown (12-3), which had managed to defeat the Pride (8-6) only twice in their past 16 meetings dating to 2006, with one of those wins turning into a forfeit due to the use of an ineligible player.

And Mustangs coach Bill Foltmer hasn’t forgotten the teams’ previous meetings, how Salesian had found ways to sneak back into contests and ultimately steal wins when his team had been well in control for the majority of four quarters - so taking it easy wasn’t happening.

“There wasn’t a minute where I relaxed,” he said. “I didn’t start relaxing until we kneeled the ball down.”

The difference-making play for Middletown came late in the fourth quarter. With Salesian deep in Mustangs territory on a 4th-and-11 play, the defense held and the Pride came up a yard short on a screen pass, turning the ball over on downs.

Middletown’s Drake Harbison then collected a good chunk of his 130 rushing yards on a big run into Pride territory, and followed that up with a touchdown run to put the Mustangs up three scores.

Mustangs captain Nash Field said the team was prepping for Salesian to try a screen pass in certain formations, and snuffed it out when it mattered most.

Field said the team has been working for the championship all season, with many of the players having been together since peewee football.

“It brings a lot of emotions at that point,” Field said. “You’re not just playing football at that point, you’re playing for your brothers.”

The Mustangs’ path to the title was no small feat, with Middletown upsetting No. 1 seed Kelseyville in the semifinals 14-12 after the Knights defeated them soundly, 28-0, in Middletown n September.

Foltmer believes the Kelseyville win was what pushed his team over the top Saturday.

“We just got hot at the right time. They picked the best time of the year to play their best football,” he said of his team. “Then you come down and beat Salesian, who has been our nemesis - to beat those guys, it’s been one heck of a year.”

Foltmer pointed to the Mustangs’ defense as a key catalyst behind the championship win. The Pride managed more than 300 offensive yards - 85 rushing yards, 262 yards passing - but couldn’t find the end zone until the second half.

“They moved the ball up and down the field, they just didn’t get in the end zone,” he said. “To hold them to just 14 points is a great defensive effort.”

Leading the way for the Mustangs offense was quarterback R.H. Hess, who completed 13 of 18 passes for 204 yards and two touchdowns. Nico Barrio caught eight passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns, with one of the passes coming on a halfback pass from Harbison in the third quarter. Harbison finished with four catches for 49 yards and a touchdown.