Excitement grows in Chowchilla for state championship football game

Alex Pittz has received so many calls from people wanting to help out his Chowchilla High football team this week that he’s had to turn away people.

The coach has had people offering to donate food or money to paint the field. As a result, the team has been fed tri-tip twice, plus barbecued ribs and pasta this week. Little Caesars in town has also offered to cater the coaches’ postgame party.

“We only have so many days in a week,” Pittz said. “We don’t need to feed the kids 10 times. It finally got to the point where I asked people to call the school and see what help they need because the football program is in a good situation.”

The town is fired up for Saturday night’s CIF State Championship Division IV-A Bowl Game against Sierra of Manteca at Henry Massaro Stadium. As of Friday afternoon, the school had presold 1,200 tickets.

Kickoff may not be until 6 p.m., but the community will begin tailgating in front of the stadium at noon.

If you drive down Robertson Boulevard, you’ll see Chowchilla Redskins signs hanging in many of the downtown businesses that read: “Win State,” “Let’s go Chowchilla,” or “Redskin pride, community wide.”

The signs were made and distributed by Seventhia Johnston, whose son Matthew plays on the team, and other team moms.

“Our town has always been phenomenal in supporting the team,” Johnston said. “I’ve received calls from businesses, emails or requests over Facebook from businesses asking where they can get a sign. It’s been pretty neat.”

Wherever you go in town, people are talking about the game.

“It’s exciting,” said Tim Sturm, 61, who owns a Carl’s Jr. in Chowchilla. “It’s the first time in Chowchilla history these guys have a chance to be part of a state championship team. I go to the gym every day and that’s what people are talking about.”

It’s even more special for the longtime Chowchilla supporters that this postseason run comes in the final year the school can use the mascot name “Redskins.” State legislation passed earlier this year bars publicly financed schools from using the term “Redskins.”

“I think the players know that above everything else,” said Chowchilla Union High School Superintendent Ron Seals. “They got word of this rumor that if they won the state championship they would get to take a picture with the state governor. They all want the chance to take a picture with him wearing their Redskins garb.”

Dave Alexander, 45, who owns Pacific Ag Insurance, has made five trips to the high school this week to buy 40 to 50 tickets for the game for friends and clients who work out of town.

“It’s just been crazy,” said Alexander, who also is part of the chain crew that holds the first-down markers on the sideline at Friday night games. “I was in Fresno eating dinner with my family and someone overheard I was from Chowchilla. They said, ‘Hey, you guys are in the state championship.’ This is fantastic. We’re not Mayberry. We’re not Hickory, but this is a big deal for our town.

“This game has taken a life of its own. It doesn’t matter if you are at McDonald’s, Napa, Starbucks or the barbershop, everyone is talking about the game.”

The football team has felt the love from the community. Not only at games, but when the players are out in the community. People often wish them good luck.

“Seeing the signs downtown in all the businesses, I feel like I’m living that movie, ‘Friday Night Lights,’ ” senior linebacker/running back Danny Chavez said.

The Chowchilla crowd filled the visitor stands at Washington Union for the Central Section Division IV championship game. The home bleachers were filling up fast two hours before last week’s Southern California Regional Bowl Game against Fairfax of Los Angeles.

When the team emerged from the locker room to take the field before the game, the players were met with a huge roar from the crowd.

“We usually have the Harleys lined up as we come out onto the field, but with the bad weather and that dirt track, we haven’t been able to do that,” Pittz said. “When we turned the corner and came out last week, the place just erupted. It was a little bit like a college atmosphere.”

“When I saw that, every fiber of my being got the chills,” Alexander said. “I had tears coming down my eyes. It was awesome.

“Alex Pittz and his coaching staff do things the right way. With their after-school programs, what they do in the weight room and their study hall programs, it’s nice to see all that benefit them. It’s nice to see this happen to people that do things the right way.”

This story was originally published December 18, 2015 at 4:54 PM with the headline "Excitement grows in Chowchilla for state championship football game."