‘We can make history.’ Golden Valley aims to dethrone Patterson with CCC title on the line
Golden Valley High quarterback Eleazar Garza wants to be part of the team people are still talking about decades from now.
The Cougars senior wants to leave a legacy. He wants to come back to his school years from now and see 2022 printed on the football championship banner hanging in Cougar Arena.
Golden Valley (7-0 overall, 3-0 Central California Conference) can take a huge step in that direction on Friday night with a win against Patterson (7-1, 4-0 CCC) at Veterans Stadium.
A CCC championship is certainly on the line, a title that has eluded Golden Valley since 2005.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:15 p.m.
“We can make history this week,” Garza said. “No team has ever started 8-0 at our school. Not even the teams that made it to the section championship or the teams that won CCC.”
It’s been 17 years since Golden Valley has won a CCC championship. It’s also been a long time since the program has prepared for a game of this magnitude this late in the season.
You might expect anxiety or nerves from a team that hasn’t played on a big stage in years, but Garza says it’s business as usual.
“Yeah, we haven’t played in a lot of big games, but it’s not like we’re afraid of the spotlight,” Garza said. “We’re taking it head on.”
“We’re ready, we want to be that team,” Garza added. “We want to be that team that people are still talking about in 2060 if Golden Valley is still around.”
Patterson is trying to win back-to-back championships. The Tigers have been led by a defense that has surrendered just 37 points in four CCC victories.
Running backs Sean Vincent Hansen (958 rushing yards and nine touchdowns) and Lolo Mataele (616 yards and 12 touchdowns) have done the heavy lifting for an offense that is averaging 45 points per game.
“They’re the defending CCC champs,” said Golden Valley coach Rick Martinez, who has plenty of big-game experience, leading Le Grand to four section championships. “They’ve been there before, they have a pretty good running back, their offensive line is always big and Rob Cozart is a great coach. They’re going to be prepared and ready to go.”
Golden Valley counters with an explosive ground game of its own led by running back Jahkylle Smith and Garza. Smith has racked up over 1,300 yards and 15 touchdowns and Garza has over 700 yards on the ground and 10 touchdowns.
“We know what we have to do,” Garza said. “We have to keep doing the same things we’ve been doing, just get better at those same things.”
Garza says the team’s 7-0 start has created excitement at the school and in the community. He says he’s had teachers and people at work talk about the team.
He says the atmosphere on Friday night should be electric.
“This is what they’ve been working for all spring and summer,” Martinez said. “As you continue to win, the games get more competitive, the stakes get higher and the games are more fun. This is the game they’ve been waiting for as players.”
Friday’s games
Patterson at Golden Valley
Merced at Buhach Colony
Atwater at Central Valley
Hilmar at Hughson
Modesto Christian at Livingston
Ceres at Los Banos
Pacheco at Mountain House
Le Grand at Gustine
Denair at Delhi
Ripon Christian at Mariposa
Delta Charter at Stone Ridge Christian, canceled
Tranquillity at Dos Palos
Minarets at Chowchilla
This story was originally published October 13, 2022 at 12:27 PM.
