CCS Coach of the Year
KEITH HOLDEN, HALF MOON BAY
By NATE SMITH Prep2Prep
When Half Moon Bay was moved from the Ocean Division to the Bay Division in 2017, the Cougars’ ability to compete against larger schools was questioned, especially with Menlo-Atherton being seemingly reloaded, after a run to a CIF title game in 2016.
Instead, what transpired was a completely dominant run through the regular season and the section playoffs, one which exceeded anyone’s expectations outside the small peninsula community, and turned into one of the top feel-good stories in Northern California football.
When Half Moon Bay opened the season with a 63-7 thrashing of Saratoga, heads nodded and people figured that was par for the course, with a veteran team featuring multiple three-year varsity starters who had already won back-to-back section championships in Division V. Eyes opened a little bigger when the Cougars raced past Palo Alto, 48-7, and by the time Bay Division play arrived, Half Moon Bay had shut out three straight opponents and allowed just 15 points in the first five weeks.
By that point, a 39-15 win over Burlingame felt about right, but Menlo-Atherton loomed the following week, the first real test for the Cougars in the higher division. What happened there was another dominant defensive performance, while Half Moon Bay’s triple-option offense controlled the clock and the flow of the game in a 28-10 victory that once and for all quieted any remaining doubters.
“A lot of these guys have been playing football most of their lives,” said HMB coach Keith Holden. “This was the year they deserved. This group of seniors was really special.”
And while the group of seniors was no doubt special, as described by the man who has been at the helm of the program for the past seven seasons, it was also the effort of their leader which made the success possible.
“It’s safe to say that Coach Holden is psychotic about the sport of football,” said Half Moon Bay quarterback Gavin Tomberlin, who started for three years behind center, with every year resulting in a section title. “I got to know him really well over the past few years, and he literally stays up until two or three in the morning during the week, studying football. He eats, sleeps, and breathes this sport. He points out all the little things we need to know.”
For a team like Half Moon Bay, which carried fewer than 30 players on its varsity roster for most of the season, controlling the flow of each game was critical, as was being prepared to limit surprises. Holden’s offensive system, meanwhile, is not only designed to control the game, but the fact that the Cougars run nearly their entire offense from two formations makes it hard for opponents to spot keys and tendencies. Even then, Holden was prepared for when they did.
“We had a lot of key-breakers, for when defenses started to adjust to certain looks or movement at the start of the play,” Tomberlin added. “He always knew the right time to call them, turning that into another advantage for us.”
Following the win over Menlo-Atherton, the Cougars received a stiff test from Aragon, a hard-fought 21-14 win in a game between two programs who thrived on the ground offensively, and received great defensive play all year. After racing past Terra Nova, Half Moon Bay allowed more than two scores for the first time all season against Sacred Heart Prep, but it did not affect the outcome, as the Cougars wrapped up a perfect regular season.
Three weeks later, after taking down Burlingame and Live Oak in the first two rounds, Half Moon Bay celebrated the Open III championship, beating Terra Nova, 41-9, despite the fact that the Tigers had gotten some key pieces back on the field prior to the game. But Holden’s best coaching job, and the grittiest performances of the year, were still to come for the Cougars.
Northern Section power Sutter descended upon Half Moon Bay for the CIF 3-A North regional final, matching up two of the top run-oriented, misdirection offenses in Northern California. In an atypical performance, the Cougars were not only outgained nearly two to one, but also lost three fumbles. For most teams, it would have spelled disaster.
Instead, the defense relied on those keys taught to them by Holden and turned back numerous Sutter trips into the HMB red zone, while taking full advantage of their own opportunities. The end result was a 28-7 victory, and an eight-hour drive to face Steele Canyon in the state title game, a charter school with more than twice the enrollment.
“We preached that we had to play smart, like we had all year,” Holden commented. “We wanted to give them tendency advantages, everything we could to have success. Everyone worked as hard as they could.”
No, Half Moon Bay’s season did not end in a Cinderella victory, but it did end with heads held high. After digging an early hole, the Cougars went blow for blow with Steele Canyon, falling just short, 44-42. The final score did little to take away from a remarkable season and an exceptional effort at the end.
“It has been an absolute honor to play for Coach Holden,” Tomberlin concluded. “If I could reset it and do it all over again, I certainly would.”
For a remarkable season that defied early expectations and earned a solid place in the annals of CCS football, we are pleased to honor Keith Holden as our Central Coast Section Coach of the Year.
Other coaches considered include Serra’s Patrick Walsh, Gilroy’s Jubenal Rodriguez, and Christopher’s Tim Pierleoni.
|