Community ravaged by fire welcomes first home football game

Bill Foltmer had taken this particular Cobb Mountain road hundreds of times during his 31-year head football coaching career at Middletown (Calif.).

But last week, he might as well have been driving on the surface of Mars.

"I was completely disoriented," he said. "I had no idea where I was. All the landmarks I knew were gone."

The Valley Fire, which began Sept. 12 and ripped through more than 75,000 acres and destroyed 1,958 structures including 1,280 homes, has ravaged and shaken the core of this rural, prideful, tight-knit Northern California community.

The state's third-most destructive wildfire — and California is known for its massive fires — also claimed four human lives and hundreds of family pets and wildlife.

For more than a week, most from the Lake County communities of Cobb Mountain, Hidden Valley Lake and Middletown were uprooted, either homeless, unsure if their homes had been destroyed or unable to get to their spared abodes. Middletown boosters president Kelli Chorjel described those days as "apocalyptic."

The fire wasn't 100 percent contained until this week.

"If you weren't left heart-broken with the loss of your home, then you knew someone who was," Foltmer said. "And that makes this all very heart-breaking."

Hard memory Between the varsity and JV programs, Foltmer said the families of seven different players lost their homes.

Assistant coaches Tony Hart and Ray Simon, along with the school's Athletic Director Airic Guerrero and Principal Bill Roderick, also had homes destroyed.

Hart, the team's junior varsity coach for 20 seasons, lost his 2,500 square-foot home that he and his late father built 13 years ago. Hart and his wife have raised four daughters there, two have graduated from Middletown.

"The best time of my life with my dad was building that house," Hart said. "We were never closer. I remember him once we were looking and admiring the house and him telling me the best part about it was knowing that his grandkids and great-great grandkids would always have a place to live in that house.

"So I cherish that memory, but now it's a hard memory."

Sense of normalcy A rallying point for the community now, especially now, is the Middletown football program. The Mustangs have always spread a mountain of pride, with 249 wins in 31 seasons under Foltmer, including 18 league titles and three North Coast Section crowns.

Fortunately, the school of 450 students was largely saved, as was its football field, other than a shed that contained much of its equipment.

Like the rest of the town and school, the football squad took an entire week off, postponing its homecoming game while players and coaches attempted to get their lives in order.

Players and families were scattered from Chico to Petaluma to Woodland and all points in between.

"Everyone was scrambling," Foltmer said. "While families waited to get back to their homes, they stayed with extended family and friends. It was unsettling to say the least."

But once Foltmer got his group of 28 players back together — on Monday, Sept. 21 at the local "Cow Polk" grill — so did a sense of normalcy, the coach said.

"Some of these kids were living in tents and campgrounds and motorhomes. Getting back home and to school and football helped with getting back to reality."

Rally caps An outpouring of gifts, money, equipment and general love from throughout Northern California and beyond has been "overwhelming," said Foltmer and Hart. It was greatly needed. Many of the families were left with only the clothes on their backs, and the athletic programs lost most of their athletic equipment.

"We are a working-class community," Roderick told the San Francisco Chronicle. "No one can just write a check to cover $40,000 of lost equipment."

Boosters from El Molino (Forestville) and Sonoma Academy (Santa Rosa) have started GoFundMe accounts and raised more than $50,000. Donations have arrived from more than 30 North Coast Section schools — Foltmer couldn't rattle off the gifts, schools and organizations fast enough, adding, "I hope I'm not leaving anyone out. Those are just off the top of my head."

Hart's daughter Ashley, now a freshman basketball player at Santa Rosa Junior College, has been presented boxes filled with gift cards, money and letters of encouragement not only from her team but opposing teams.

"Everywhere we turn, the support has been awesome," Hart said. "The amount of love we've received from complete strangers, to let us know they care, it's an amazing feeling."

Oakland Raiders answer call

A representative from the Oakland Raiders showed up recently and showed a videotape to the Middletown players that the NFL team had put together, led by star wideout Amari Cooper.

They also sent a care package filled with Raiders' gear, including purple cleats — Middletown's school colors.

"That gave the team a huge boost," Hart said.

It has shown on the football field as well. Remarkably, the Mustangs, who averaged almost nine wins per season over the last 11, followed the fire with two straight wins — by a 64-8 count — after starting the season (before the fire) with two lopsided losses to state-ranked small schools.

"We were understandably rusty when we got back, but last week we definitely played well," Foltmer said.

The games haven't had the normal football feel, Foltmer said.

"They felt like community events and healing sessions," he said. "There were hugs, tears, the National Anthem, the game, more hugs, tears and back to reality."

Pull kids along On Friday night, the Mustangs will play their first home game since the fire, and a large, sellout emotional crowd is expected at the stadium that bears Foltmer's name.

Among the attendees will be media from far outside the region, including Sports Illustrated and MaxPreps.

"I've done more interviews with out-of-county media this week than in my other (31) years combined," Foltmer told Brian Sumpter of the local Lake County Record-Bee.

Foltmer, who could have easily moved on and coached at bigger programs and higher levels, said more than ever he sees the value in what he's done over the last three decades.

"I've always tried to teach more than winning and more than football," he said. "I'm really seeing the importance of community and working together in the most desperate of times."

Hart, who was already rebuilding his home, said the most meaningful gift he received came from an athletic club, which sent money and a note.

"It said not to forget that sports teaches to get back up, that we get knocked down and that the most important thing is to keep playing, and give it your all," Hart said. "I've been reminding myself of that and trying to be a good role model and pull these kids along. It's tough. It's an emotional thing to lose your home and watch others suffer.

"Football has definitely been a good distraction."