Junior quarterback Jacob Searcy gears up for a throw in the Bearcats' 8-7 win over Garfield High School on Friday, Sept. 25. In that game, Searcy went threw completed 6 of 17 passes for a total of 88 yards and one interception. Searcy also rushed four times for 28 yards. Photo courtesy of Ann Bedell.

The Bearcat varsity football team enters its fifth game of the season following an 8-7 win over Garfield on Friday, Sept. 25.

The Bearcats, (2-2 overall) had a bye last Friday and this Friday host the El Diamante Miners, (3-1 and 1-0 in the West Yosemite League) of Visalia. The game is the Bearcats' final non-league game of the season as they open PAC 7 competition on the road against Lompoc High School next week.

In last week's game against Garfield High School an end of game stand by two juniors and a sophomore on the team secured the win. In that game, the Bearcats committed four fumbles and threw two interceptions.

Paso Robles High School varsity football coach Rich Schimke said those type of errors in a game usually amount to a loss but that somehow the Bearcats pulled out a win.

"If you do it six times, you're not supposed to win," Schimke said. "So the lesson we learned [from that game] was we got lucky," he said.

If the Bearcats make those kinds of mistakes against El Diamante, luck may not be on their side for a second time – especially going up against a Miners offense that likes to run the ball, according to Schimke.

"[The Miners] have a powerful running attack.They're known for the way they run the ball,” he said. “They run the counter and power and play action pass. They have a two-year quarterback coming back.

"They are used to winning, they're a relatively new school, but they've developed a tradition of winning in the eight years of being pretty successful."

Add that to the fact that the Bearcats' win over the Miners last year was the end of a 15-game winning streak for the Miners. That streak began Aug. 31, 2007 and ended on Oct. 3, 2008 when the Bearcats defeated the Miners, the defending Central Section Division II champions in a non-league game, 35-14.

Schimke said he knows with that loss in the back of their minds, the Miners will be looking to even the score.

"We went over there last year, and upset their pretty substantial winning streak they had going on," he said. "So I know they are looking for revenge."

Aside from their quarterback, Schimke said the Miners have a topnotch running back in junior Aaron Sing and for the most part will be the same offense the Bearcats faced last year.

"We have film on [Sing], and in two games he rushed for over 200 yards, so he's putting up some numbers," Schimke said. "They haven't really skipped a beat offensively."

On defense, Schimke described the Miners as a team that would be hard to stop.

"They're quick, I think they have four returners back," he said. "They want to pressure you; they're not necessarily big, but they do bring the pressure.”

In order for the Bearcats offense to be effective against the Miners defense, Schimke said it would come down to error-free football for his team.

"We're going to have to hang onto the ball," he said. "In the game against St. Joseph [a 28-13 loss on Sept. 18], all three turnovers led to or were touchdowns for the other team. And last game, the lesson we learned was we can't do that, we were just lucky to win."

Bearcats quarterback Thomas Bernal did not play against Garfield due to an injury he suffered against St. Joseph, and Schimke would not confirm if Bernal was still on the injured list.

If Bernal does not start, junior Jacob Searcy will start, he said. In the game against Garfield, Searcy went 6-for-17 yards, one interception and rushed four times for a total of 28 yards.

Besides Searcy, several other underclassmen on the team have stepped up, he said. Sophomore Elias Stokes had five catches for 55-yards and set up the scoring touchdown on a pass from Searcy. Junior Jesse Felgenhauer, who rushed five times for 25 yards, rushed in for the winning touchdown and the subsequent two-point conversion.

It's those kinds of performances that Schimke said he expects more of from the younger guys on the Bearcats team.

"They have to, we have more underclassman starting on offense than we do seniors," Schimke said. "If they don't perform, than we don't perform."

In summing up the game against El Diamante, Schimke said the crowd could expect a very physical game.

"They're coming to reclaim, and we have to fight that off," he said. "We have to eliminate our mistakes and do what we did earlier in the season. So we're going to keep on plugging along."

The PRHS football game starts at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 9 at War Memorial Stadium.

For the complete article see the 10-09-2009 issue.

Click here to purchase an electronic version of the 10-09-2009 paper.

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