CONCORD - The way Clayton Valley leading rusher Miles Harrison started the NorCal Division II Bowl game championship in Concord on Saturday night gave visiting Oakdale a spark of hope it might be able to bottle up the key to the Ugly Eagles state-leading ground game.
It worked for two series, but after that the 5-foot-10, 205-pound powerful but shifty and elusive running back ran roughshod over Oakdale in a 28-7 victory that propels Clayton Valley (15-0) into the CIF Division II Bowl game against East Valley-Redlands on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. in Carson at the StubHub Center.
East Valley (14-1) overcame an early deficit to post a scoreboard-lighting 59-42 victory over Ridgeview-Bakersfield.
On the opening series, Harrison had all four carries for nine yards and Clayton Valley gave it up on downs in its own territory. The defense got it back and on the second series and Harrison started to get rolling but fumbled it away.
After the defense held again, Harrison got busy and never stopped. The third and fourth Ugly Eagles series ended in 8-yard touchdown runs by Harrison, who finished with 33 carries for 238 yards and three scores. His offensive output ended up besting that of Oakdale as a team by 16 yards.
“After the fumble I could see that look in his (Harrison) eyes,” said third-year Clayton Valley head coach Tim Murphy. “He was determined tonight. He’s a special kid.”
More than once Harrison carried the pile 6-7 additional yards much to the chagrin of the Oakdale tacklers hanging on but unable to corral him.
“I had a little bit of a bad start, but I’ve got to put the team on my back and keep pounding them,” Harrison said.
Harrison was superb, but the offensive line blew open some big holes for him. Tennessee-bound Kahlil McKenzie isn’t eligible, but he was on the sidelines coaching on the linemen, including his little brother, 6-foot-5, 288-pound sophomore Jalen McKenzie.
With a running game that now continues to lead the state with 6,604 yards after 15 games, the Ugly Eagles defense is often overlooked.
Against Oakdale, the Clayton Valley defense gave up some late yards when the game’s outcome was long decided, but in the first half with the lead 14-0 the Eagles had only given up a mere 62 yards of total offense.
“Coming in I was really nervous because Oakdale plays so hard and outworks teams, but it’s been our defense the last two weeks. The defense was amazing,” Murphy said.
Three Ugly Eagles senior linebackers had great games, despite all being undersized. Rich Peralta had 19 tackles and now has 167 for the season. He will need five tackles next week to set a new school record. Elijah Breon recorded 18 tackles while Eric Burkley had 11 tackles and 1.5 sacks.
Oakdale (13-2) got its lone score on a late fourth-quarter 55-yard run by CJ Domingo, but it was 28-0 at that point and the Mustangs leading runners had already been sent to pasture.
Frankie Trent, who rushed for over 200 yards and six TDs at the Levis Stadium Friday Nights Lights event, was held to 70 yards on 16 carries.
“A lot of people doubted us but we just had to keep doing what we do,” Harrison said. “We’ve been dreaming about this since summer. Now we have to prove to people we’re worthy.”
Connections twist
Clayton Valley now rolls into Carson with a coach intent on proving he can take a team to the big game and win. Murphy’s 2006 CIF Central Section Division I champion Clovis East-Fresno team was on the board but got edged out for the first CIF Division I Bowl game south selection by a Canyon Country-Canyon team that went on to beat De La Salle in the title game.
His Clayton Valley team two years ago, in his first year back home in Contra Costa County, lost in the D2 NorCal game to an Oakdale team that went on to get soundly defeated by Serra-Gardena in the state title game.
Now Murphy’s high-powered running game gets matched up with an East Valley team that averages 43 points a game and is equally adept at moving the ball on the ground or through the air.
He won’t be able to ask them for any help in his game, but Murphy will have old friends with him in Carson that are head coaches on teams looking for their own titles.
Murphy and Folsom co-head coach Kris Richardson were teammates at College Park-Pleasant Hill in 1987 when Murphy was a junior and Richardson was a senior. In 1988 current Campolindo-Moraga Head Coach Kevin Macy came aboard at College Park as the defensive co-coordinator.
“It’s been kind of a long road,” Murphy reminisced. “Watching other teams play in Carson those two years we missed out and lost was pretty tough. Now, it’s good going down with Kris and Kevin. Maybe all three of us can win.”
Folsom leads off action for the three teams with an 8:00 pm Friday matchup with Oceanside. Campolindo against El Capitan-Lakeside (CIF San Diego Section) is next at noon on Saturday followed by Clayton Valley taking on the East Valley team from the Inland Empire portion of the CIF Southern Section.
