The Los Medanos College football team enjoyed success this fall after a disappointing 0-10 season in 2011, finishing 6-4 and just one game shy of making it to a bowl game.
The team was full of committed sophomores who hated the feeling of losing every game last year, said quarterback coach Dave Fogelstrom, so“they did everything they could to win.”
Head Coach Chris Shipe emphasizes the main reason for the turnaround was the fact players from last year didn’t want to re-live what they went through in 2011.Fogelstrom said they did an incredible amount of hard work last spring and summer, which was a key to this year’s success.
It was also important that the players were able to form bonds in a short amount of time so they could play with unity. Shipe admits it was tough to mold a bunch of young men to believe in one another in a matter of weeks.
“We talk about being a family, trusting in one another on the field and off the field,” said Shipe.
Many of these players have played against each other in high school for years, but despite this competitive background Shipe said “the chemistry of the team was amazing.”
LMC won its first game of the season against Hartnell in the final minutes of the game.
“It set the tone for the whole season,” said Fogelstrom.
LMC also added two freshman running backs this year that had an immediate impact on the team. Shawn Vasquez from Liberty High School and Matt Smith from Deer Valley High School ran for 18 touchdowns combined and helped contribute to the 12th-ranked rushing offense in the state, according to statistics from Prestosports.com.
“Their running game took pressure off of me,” said quarterback Mike Behr. “It made the passing game easier.”
Vasquez and Smith received help up front by freshman offensive linemen Garret Lewis, Armando Montalvo and Alex Haynes who all will be making a return to the team next season. Those three anchored the line said Fogelstrom, underscoring that the “offensive line was outstanding.”
“The offense doesn’t perform each week without the centerpiece; the offensive line which did a tremendous job all year,” said Shipe.
The team was led by Behr who contributed 30 of the team’s 51 touchdowns, according to statistics from Prestosports.com. Shipe said Behr was a driving force to the team’s success. He ended the season as the 17th-ranked quarterback in the state, throwing for 21 touchdowns and also using his feet to score another nine TDs.
On the receiving end, Terrance Polk caught 13 touchdowns, more than half of the team’s 23 previous scores, according to Prestosports.com. Behr describes him as a hard worker and a “playmaker,” averaging 108.4 yards per game and had 1,084 on the season—both marks are second in the state.
LMC had a balanced aerial attack and ground game. The team passed for 2,647 yards and ran for an additional 2,166 yards. This approach made it hard for teams to keep the Mustangs from scoring. Ranked 9th overall in offense, these stats were a huge contributor to the turnaround, as the Mustangs were able to light up the scoreboard, averaging 37.9 points a game according to statistics from Prestosports.com.
On the defensive side of the ball, Fogelstrom explained how linemen Charles Alexander and Junior Mololo, contributed to LMC’s success.
Big plays by defensive back Aaron Cole in the form of two interceptions in the first game of the season against Hartnell, a game-winning interception against Shasta, and a game-winning tackle against Yuba, played a pivotal role in the Mustang defensive scheme.
Another major factor for the turnaround was that they never gave up. Fogelstrom added that the team won five of its 10 games in the final minute of play. Although the Mustangs lost to Contra Costa College for the championship during the last game, the season still proved successful as the team won six more games than last year and look to keep the positive momentum going into next season.
“Our sophomores started something, now our freshmen have to step up and continue this trend.” said Shipe.
