It's finally here.
That's a common sentiment making its way through the communities in California and Wardsville, as the players, coaches and fans get ready for a contest that's been expected by many since the first day of the season.
When the California Pintos (11-0) play host to the Blair Oaks Falcons (9-2) at 7 p.m. today at Riley Field, it won't be just a district championship game, but the culmination of a long journey. After getting the regular season out of the way, both cruised through their first two district games to set up the showdown.
"If you're just a high-school football fan, there's not a better place to be in mid-Missouri (tonight)," Blair Oaks head coach Brad Drehle said. "There's a great game going on over in Mokane, too, with Higginsville and South Callaway. That will be a tremendous game. But just from the history of the two schools, this one is the one to go to, in my opinion.
"If you're a player and you're not excited and laying awake at night thinking about getting the opportunity to play, I don't know how to help you. It's going to be fun. It's one we're looking forward to."
The game is also a rematch, as the Pintos beat the Falcons 21-10 on Oct. 3 in California.
"Any time you put two good teams on the field, which obviously both are, and you've got good programs, it's going to be a classic battle," California head coach Marty Albertson said.
The winner advances to the Class 3 quarterfinals, and both teams want to continue their recent stretches of playoff success.
"(The Pintos) are 11-0, and if you dig into it a little deeper than that, the senior class that they have is 41-8 in their career and they've been to two Class 3 state semifinals," Drehle said. "And our seniors are 45-9 with three (Class 2) Final Fours and a state championship appearance."
Both teams are coming off big wins last week. California, the top seed in the district, ripped fifth-seeded Southern Boone 63-6, while second-seeded Blair Oaks romped past third-seeded Fulton 52-14.
"It's like I told the kids in the locker room: "We sent a message that said, "Hey, get ready, we're coming,' and they sent one back that said, "Bring it. Let's go.' That's what it's supposed to be, that's what makes it fun," Drehle said. "You get excited to get an opportunity to play in these games, because you don't get very many. This is one you remember forever."
The Pintos come in scoring 47.8 points per game while giving up just 9.7, while the Falcons are scoring 38.3 and allowing 12.0.
"We talk about goals at the first of the year and the first goal is a conference championship, and we accomplished that goal," Albertson said. "The second goal is a district championship, so that one's staring us in the face. We have to put together our best game (today) to come out with that one. I think the kids will be up, I'm sure their kids will be up, too. I think it will be a great football game."
III
WHEN THE TEAMS got together in the regular season, holding on to the ball - or not holding on to it - was the story of the day. The Falcons turned the ball over five times and had a punt blocked, while the Pintos had four turnovers.
Blair Oaks at California
[Follow https://twitter.com…">@tony_hawley on Twitter for updates during the game. Listen live online at http://pintosonline…">pintosonline.com., https://twitter.com…">@tony_hawley on Twitter, http://pintosonline…">pintosonline.com]It had the feel of a postseason contest, with a huge crowd and tailgaters showing up hours before kickoff. This one should be the same, and Drehle said he doesn't expect either team to shrink from the spotlight.
"That goes to the experience that both teams have," he said. "Their kids and our kids have been here before, they've been on the big stage. Now it's just a matter of turning it loose.
"If it was your first time in that kind of situation, there would be a little more nerves about it. This is just turn it loose and go. There's nothing to lose here."
After Blair Oaks scored the game's first points on a field goal, California ripped off 21 unanswered points in the second quarter to take control.
"That first game, it felt like we did some good things in the second quarter and got out to the 21-3 lead, and we kind of just held on after that," Albertson said. "We didn't do a whole lot offensively. Some of that was me, I got pretty conservative (with the play-calling) because I felt like our defense was holding up pretty well. We didn't throw the ball much after that.
"It's going to be a little different game this time. This is no time to get conservative. You've got to go out and play to win and we're going to try to put it all together this week."
Drehle said he thinks that first meeting was a good indication of what's coming today.
"Neither one of us went in there with the idea that, "We're going to sit on this.' You went in with the idea you were playing to win," he said.
Drehle added the Falcons are a bit healthier this time around.
"We're as healthy as we're going to be, it gives us as good a chance as we're going to have," he said. "Maybe they're the two-ton gorilla we just can't get, I don't know. But we're going to line up and punch him in the nose and find out.
"We're going to stand there and exchange blows, and they're going to do the same thing. There's no secret, these teams and kids know each other, they've grown up playing each other. Shoot, some of them may be related. They're going to go toe-to-toe."
III
THE LAST FOUR weeks for both teams have been about trying to improve for this time of the season.
"We have progressed since then," Drehle said. "That's the thing we really tried to hammer home to the kids is that every week, we wanted to improve. We looked at it as, there were five weeks to improve to get here.
"Coach Albertson and I can both say we weren't looking ahead, but we were. There's no ifs, ands or buts about it. They were, we were. It was about improving so you could get the opportunity to get here."
Drehle said one thing about the Pintos has changed since that first meeting.
"They've turned (quarterback) Jaden Barr loose," he said. "He's a wild card. He just simply makes plays. ... The thing that gets you is you can feel like you've put pressure on him and he'll just scramble around and give up 30 yards and run around back there and wear your kids out and then throw a 10-yard completion. The kid is unreal. So much of what they do begins and ends with him.
"They've got some tremendous pieces around him. (Running back Walker) Borghardt is a great player, (wide receiver Landon Mouse), the Norton twins (Drew and Dylan), they're great players. (Allan Burger) is a great player. But the one that makes them go is wearing No. 15. Barr is their heart and soul."
Last week, the Pintos split their offense down the middle, as half of their roughly 400 yards came via the run and Barr passed for 208. It's all about being as hard to defend as possible.
"I'm sure they'll have a few wrinkles for us this week and we definitely have some for them," Albertson said. "We didn't show a whole lot in the second half (of the first meeting). We kept it pretty basic and tried to run the football a whole lot.
"This team, we can run the football, but I think we're more effective when we stretch people out and get our kids out in space. We really didn't do that the second half against them, so we've got a few more wrinkles for them that they haven't seen yet. That will be a good thing."
Notes: The gates open at 5:30 p.m. today, and the public is encouraged to arrive early. ... The Pintos were without offensive tackle Zach Cummings last week due to a high ankle sprain, and he's still day-to-day. California adjusted by moving Nathan Squires to tackle and shifted Ramiro Garcia, who had been playing tight end, to guard. "It worked out pretty well," Albertson said. "This will give them another week to get used to that, so hopefully they will be fine there." ... Tonight's winner will host the District 5 champion - either Macon (8-3) or Orchard Farm (9-2) - in the quarterfinals next Friday.
Blair Oaks at California - Updates on Twitter: @tony_hawley and @PintosAthletics. Listen live online: pintosonline.com.
Game Preview Podcast: