Oct 5, 2018 4 min read

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California’s Jelani Stafford celebrates after he scored a touchdown against West Greene during a Tri-County game Friday night at California.

Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter

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California’s Malik Ramsey (11) celebrates with teammates after the Trojans' win over West Greene Friday night.

Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter

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Observer-Reporter

West Greene’s Ben Jacksonsruns around the California defense during a Tri-County South game last year.

Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter

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For the Observer-Reporter

Jaeden Zuzak is one of multiple returning players for California, which opens its season with a Week Zero game tonight at Beth-Center.

For the Observer-Reporter

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COAL CENTER – When the California High School football team came out to practice this week, the drills weren’t complex but the importance of them was vital.

California High School head football coach Darrin Dillow lined the Trojans up for one tackling drill after another. It was considered a “defensive day” in three of the Trojans’ four practices.

When you haven’t allowed a touchdown to a particular opponent the last four years – West Greene’s last point against the Trojans came in 2011 – somebody might have questioned Dillow.

But when you start the season 2-4, have surrendered more points per game (27.5) than the entire top half of teams in the Tri-County South Conference standings and face a running back like the Pioneers’ Ben Jackson, the questioning will quickly dwindle.

California made several key plays defensively, including four fourth-down stops inside its own territory, to limit the high-scoring West Greene offense again and hand the Pioneers their first conference loss of the season, 24-14, Friday night.

Three teams – California, West Greene and Monessen – are all near the top of the standings, each with one loss.

“We focused on ourselves and on our defense,” Dillow said. “We made sure to do a lot of tackling drills and work on the fundamentals. We talked about wrapping up. That’s what they did tonight. I’m really proud of our defense, especially what it was able to do on fourth downs.”

No one stop was bigger than the others for California (3-1, 3-5) until a fourth-and-four play with the Pioneers at the Trojans’ eight-yard line with just under six minutes left and Cal holding a 10-point lead. That’s when multiple defensive lineman and linebackers shot through the gaps on the senior-laden West Greene offensive line to drop Jackson for a seven-yard loss and seal the victory. The Pioneers were on long drive that lasted nearly six minutes until the turnover on downs.

“We made a couple of mistakes on initial contact, but overall our kids are in position,” Dillow said. “They’ve been in position all year. It’s just about making that play. Tonight, we were a lot better at making the plays.”

Jackson cut the deficit to two points, 16-14, on a 57-yard touchdown run three plays into the second half, and the Trojans were on the ropes after it drove the length of the field but fumbled at the West Greene 10.

But California forced a three-and-out to give its offense the ball back and then marched on a nine-play, 73-yard drive that culminated with a rare 26-yard touchdown pass on fourth down to open the final quarter. A two-point conversion pass from Jaedan Zuzak to Qualk made it a two-possession game, 24-14.

West Greene was stopped on fourth down three times in the first half, including a pair of times when it started inside Trojans territory after creating turnovers. California fumbled on the first play from scrimmage in the game, setting the Pioneers up at the 30-yard line. West Greene also took over after another fumble at California’s 37 midway through the second quarter before turning it over on downs.

“Hats off to (California). It played great,” said West Greene coach Rodney Huffman. “I’m not disappointed. We had some opportunities that we didn’t cash in on, and that’s our fault.”

California running back Jelani Stafford had a pair of touchdowns in the first half, which gave the Trojans an eight-point halftime lead, 16-8. Stafford’s hard-nosed touchdown runs were from seven and eight yards. He finished with 105 yards on 17 carries.

“It feels good because I know I’m getting in shape,” said Stafford, who saw his second-largest workload of the season.

“Being 275 pounds running the ball is not as easy as it seems. It’s not cookies and rainbows.”

Jackson had a strong night, running for 190 yards on 25 carries and two scores.

West Greene, which has lost 13 in a row to California, hasn’t won in the series since 2003. The Pioneers had been shut out the last four years by a combined score of 158-0. In the 13 losses, they have been outscored 490-92.

“It was rough at the beginning of the season,” Dillow said about the 2-4 start. “We played a lot of good teams, were beat up, had a lot of young kids and injuries. But they are starting to gel. This was a good win for us.”