Middletown enters North Coast Section Division 7 tournament as No. 1 seed
By Brian Sumpter
Lake County Sports on Facebook
MIDDLETOWN >> The No. 1-seeded Middletown Mustangs begin their North Coast Section Division 7 playoff adventure Friday night with a home game against Archie Williams High School of San Anselmo. Kickoff is 7 p.m. at Bill Foltmer Field, which could be the only place the Mustangs play in the sectional tournament if things break right.
Middletown (8-2), the North Central League I runner-up, hosts a 6-4 Archie Williams club that placed third in the Redwood Empire Mountain League. The Mustangs and Peregrine Falcons did not have a common opponent this season.
“What we see on film is their quarterback, No. 2 (senior Ronan Foley) is definitely a threat,” Middletown head coach Kurtis Woodard said. “We have to contain him.”
Foley’s numbers bear that out. He’s thrown for 1,503 yards and 16 touchdowns while completing nearly 61 percent of his passes. A running threat as well, Foley has 321 yards on the ground and seven of his team’s 12 rushing touchdowns.
“They move the ball,” Woodard said of the Falcons. “They’ve got speed. It’s definitely a game they can win if we don’t play well.”
Foley’s primary targets are Jonah Revelle (32 receptions for 605 yards, eight TDs) and Ates Hurd (30 catches for 542 yards, seven TDs).
Mani Mosher, senior running back, is the team’s rushing leader with 571 yards and four TDs.
Archie Williams plays on an artificial turf field and many of its opponents this season also play on turf, so the team will have to adjust to what is likely to be a slick Middletown natural grass field soaked by Wednesday’s and Thursday’s rainfall.
“It should be different for them,” Woodard said, adding Bill Foltmer Field does drain well and should be in good shape Friday unless it absorbs additional heavy rainfall between now and then.
While the target is squarely on Middletown’s back as the No. 1 seed in Division 7, Woodard said the Mustangs, who are coming off a bye week, are handling their business in practice like it’s just another game.
“We have humble kids and families,” Woodard said. “No one’s taking plays off in practice. We probably had the bet Tuesday practice we’ve had this season. Wednesday started off a little rough, but the second half of it was really good.
Woodard said the relatively young Mustangs “need to keep their composure” if Archie Williams hits them with anything surprising or if they are victims of a bad break or two.
Making his first postseason appearance as Middletown’s head coach, Woodard said the Mustangs have been blessed with good health to this point of the season, and with a lucky bounce or two at opportune times throughout the year.
“When the stars align, you don’t take it for granted,” Woodard said.
No. 8 Archie Williams at No. 1 Middletown is one of four first-round Division 7 games taking place Friday. The winner advances to the semifinals Nov. 21 against the winner of No. 4 Vallejo (7-3) vs. No. 5 Concord (6-4) at the home site of the highest surviving seed.
On the other half of the Division 7 bracket, No. 2 Piedmont (6-4) hosts No. 7 St. Patrick/St. Vincent (7-3) while No. 3 Willits (8-2) is home against No. 6 Redwood Christian (7-3).
The Division 7 championship game is Nov. 28-29 (TBA). The section champion advances to the NorCal championship game the weekend of Dec. 5-6. State championship games are Dec. 12-13.
TEAM NOTES: Middletown is gunning for its fifth section title in football and first since 2018 … That 2018 team won its last three (of four games) on the road whereas this year’s Mustangs can remain at home as long as they keep on winning, a nice perk … The last (and only) Lake County team to reach the NorCal championship game was Clear Lake in 2022. The Cardinals lost to eventual state champion Orland at Orland … Middletown won Class A section titles in 1997, 1999 and 2001. The Mustangs reached the sectional finals in 1991 and 2017 as well … Along with Middletown and Willits, the other NCL I team still alive in the postseason is St. Helena (10-0), the No. 2 seed in the Division 6 playoffs. St. Helena hosts No. 7 Sonoma Valley on Friday … Middletown owns a 2-0 record against other teams in the Division 7 playoff field, having beaten Piedmont 32-17 in non-league action Sept. 5 at Middletown, and Willits 22-9 in league action Sept 26 at Middletown.
